Leopard poaching: India’s blind spot
At least four leopards are poached every week in India, according to a new study by a group of conservationists.
The report by Traffic documented 420 seizures of leopard skins, bones and body parts between 2001 and 2010, said the BBC.
It says the northern state of Uttarakhand is the biggest source for leopard parts, while Delhi is the hub of illegal trade.
Leopards are a protected species in India and all international commercial trade in their body parts is banned.
Wildlife experts say there are no reliable population estimates of these big cats in India, but according to rough estimates, there are about 10,000 leopards in the country.
The report – Illuminating the Blind Spot: A study on illegal trade in Leopard parts in India estimates that around 2,294 leopards have been trafficked in India during the 10-year span.
The study says that most of the leopard parts are smuggled to Asian countries like China, Burma and Laos through India’s porous border with Nepal.
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025
U.S.A. and Israel attacks on Iran impact air movements in the Gulf (Update 1.00pm CET)
Global tourism exceeds 1.5 billion travelers announces UN-Tourism