In a landmark decision in Gujarat, India, a court has sentenced twenty convicted lion poachers to three years imprisonment. The convicts were involved in the killing of ten lions and were arrested last year. There is also a fine of Indian Rupees ten thousand per person.
The sentence, one of its kind, is a unique one in India where poachers are often let off with lenient punishments. Prominent conservationist and wildlife photographer Belinda Wright, who also chairs the Wildlife Protection Society of India, has welcomed the decision and expressed hope that similar sentences are announced for tiger poachers as well in other parts of India.
"I think the professional poachers who went to Gujarat to kill lions and these are the people who normally kill tigers will now think twice before returning there," Wright said.
So definitely a welcome move by the court in Gujarat and hopefully the judiciary in other parts of India will follow this example and levy harsher punishments for big cat killers, in turn deterring would-be poachers. More here.
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2 comments:
I so hope you are right about this. It's a shame this is happening at all. Have a great day. :)
I am really glad that stiffer sentences are being handed out for poaching. I really hope it makes a big difference in deterring poaching.
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