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Why Salman was locked up for poaching black bucks

Seems a silly thing to do, locking up a popular film star like Salman Khan 'cos he shot a couple of black bucks.

We mean, why all this hue and cry?

Well, to understand that, you need to first understand that the black buck, the fastest animal after cheetah, is endangered. The misadventure of Salman Khan and gang -- Saif Ali Khan and actressess Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre -- at the Gudha-Bishnoian forest, nearly 80 km from Jodhpur, is not an unprecedented incident. Organised groups of hoteliers hae been indulging in such hunting to entertain customers.

Which, you will agree, is a trend that must be checked. Especially as the black bucks are going out of currency as fast as they can run.

Today, there are only a few thousand black bucks left in India. The majority is concentrated in Rajasthan, specially the Gudha-Bishnoian and Dhava Dholi areas, while the rest is spread over 12 other states.

The highest density of black bucks is in the Thal Chappar sanctuary, in Rajasthan's Thar. Of the 11 districts comprising the desert, the blackbuck is found in Churu, Sai Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Pali, Jalore and Barmar.

Environmentalist Bittu Sehgal observed such actions arose from 'a false sense of manhood'. "It is murder, a punishable offence under the Wildlife Protection Act," Sehgal said, adding that the offence attracts a minimum jail term of one year that can be extended up to six years, besides a Rs 5,000 fine, "The animal has been deliberately pushed into extinction."

Feels Bombay Natural History Society Director Dr Asad R Rahmani, "The Salman incident could be a blessing in disguise as it exposes the racket behind such poaching."

The BNHS now intends to build support for the Rajasthan forest department, which may be already under heavy political pressure to dilute the case.

Dr Rahmani, who has been working on desert fauna for over 18 years, said the BNHS has sent strong protests to the ministry of environment and forests and the chief wildlife warden of Rajasthan, urging that the case should be decided according to the law of the land. In no way should the culprits be let off scot-free as that would send out wrong signals.

The World Wide Fund for Nature has also condemned the incident strongly. Its director for Maharashtra, Dr M S Kothari, urged the media to refrain from providing the 'so-called public figures' opportunities to express their innocence.

Ironically, Salman Khan, currently in forest police custody, figures in a WWF calendar, urging the youth to save the environment. The WWF has now decided to withdraw the star's picture from the calendar.

UNI

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