Thane: In a significant blow to illegal wildlife trade, forest officials have dismantled a suspected poaching network following the discovery of a poached adult male leopard within the protected boundaries of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).
The incident came to light during a routine enforcement operation in the Yeoor forest range, where officials recovered the skin and various body parts of a leopard identified by researchers as L-30. The nature of the remains immediately triggered a high-level probe, uncovering a sophisticated trafficking network with deep logistical roots.
Authorities have since apprehended six suspects in connection with the poaching. While the names of the accused are being withheld pending further investigation, the forest department has successfully traced operational links to the Palghar district.
Interrogations have revealed a disturbing pattern of serial poaching; the suspects have allegedly admitted to involvement in the killing and processing of at least two additional leopards in the region.
Forensic examination of the remains highlighted the clinical nature of the crime. According to the investigation report, the animal had been meticulously skinned. High-value parts, including claws and teeth, had been systematically removed for the black market.
While the suspects claim the leopard died after being caught in a snare trap, officials have noted a lack of characteristic snare injuries, leaving the exact cause of death a subject of ongoing forensic analysis.
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The deliberate removal of specific body parts points toward an organised demand within the illegal wildlife trade. Conservationists are sounding the alarm, as SGNP—one of the few national parks located within a major metropolitan area—serves as a critical sanctuary for Mumbai's leopard population.
"The fact that this occurred within a protected zone suggests a brazen level of operation by these syndicates," stated a source close to the investigation.
The forest department has intensified patrolling across the Yeoor and SGNP ranges to ensure the safety of the remaining wildlife and to prevent further incursions by organized poaching units.
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