Police in Uttarakhand have arrested two suspects in possession of two leopard skins and 24 kg of hashish, thanks to receiving a tip off.
At least eight leopard skins have been seized in the region since the start of 2013. Two suspects who were previously arrested with three leopard skins admitted that “some people are actively involved in poisoning leopards”, according to the Daily Pioneer.
The Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) reports that a total of 41 leopards have already died in India this year. Of those, 14 deaths were due directly to the illegal trade. In 2012, 331 leopard deaths were documented by WPSI, with 137 attributed to illegal trade in leopard skins and parts. WPSI notes that the figures “represent only a fraction” of the actual leopard trafficking issue in India.
A TRAFFIC study found that leopard parts are increasingly in demand for traditional Chinese medicine.
In traditional Chinese medicine, Leopard body parts are sometimes prescribed as substitutes for Tiger body parts and this persistent belief in traditions, whether medicinal or folkbased, that Leopard or other felid bones bring health or vigour to potential consumers, may further increase pressure on the Leopard.
Northern India was found to be a “hotspot” for illegal trade in leopard parts, with Delhi identified as “the most important hub”, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.
![India: 356 Leopards Dead in 365 Days [Graphic Video]](https://annamiticus.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/LeopardCloseup-150x150.jpg)
Rhishja Cota
I am the founder of Annamiticus and I have been researching and writing about wildlife trafficking issues since 2009. I also founded World Pangolin Day in 2012. I am the author of USAID Wildlife Asia's Pangolin Species Identification Guide: A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk. I co-facilitated and was a presenter at the USAID Wildlife Asia Pangolin Care Workshop. At the 4th Regional Dialogue on Combating Trafficking of Wild Fauna and Flora, I facilitated the species roundtables on pangolins. I have trekked with forest rangers in Cambodia, journeyed to the streets of Hanoi to research the illegal wildlife trade, and to the rainforests of Sumatra and Java to document the world’s rarest rhinos. At CITES meetings, I collaborate with colleagues from around the world to lobby in favor of protecting endangered species. I hosted the Behind the Schemes podcast and am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine. I enjoy music, desert gardening, herping, reading, creating, and walking with my dogs. Check out my t-shirts and stickers at snoots + teefers.