2 weeks ago
Wildlife SOS Probed Over Alleged Poaching Nexus, Leopard Skins Seized
Police officers in India who protect wild animals made a surprising discovery.
They caught four people carrying ten leopard skins.
Leopards are big wild cats, and selling their skins is against the law.
A group called Wildlife SOS helps rescue animals and said it helped catch those people.
But the police think Wildlife SOS might have secretly worked with the poachers.
They believe the group may have planned the poaching so it could pretend to stop it.
That way, the group could get praise and money from donors.
The police found buried animal bones and metal traps in the forests.
The leader of Wildlife SOS has been asked to talk to the police.
The group says the accusations are not true and that it was just gathering information to catch poachers.
Four poachers were arrested on the Gwalior-Agra highway on July 23 carrying 10 leopard skins.
The Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force alleges Wildlife SOS staged enforcement successes, with suspects Bhagwan Singh (alias Salim) and Wasim Akram reportedly on the NGO's payroll.
Digital evidence suggests CEO Kartick Satyanarayan may have organized poaching events to attract donors and secure grants.
Buried leopard remains and three leg-hold traps from Haryana were found in Shivpuri and Morena forests.
Satyanarayan has been summoned to appear before investigators in Shivpuri on August 17; Wildlife SOS rejects the allegations as a 'total travesty of justice.'
- Who
- Wildlife SOS CEO Kartick Satyanarayan, suspects Bhagwan Singh (alias Salim) and Wasim Akram, and the Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force
- What
- Investigation into an alleged nexus between Wildlife SOS and a poaching syndicate, following the seizure of 10 leopard skins
- Where
- Gwalior-Agra highway and forests in Shivpuri, Morena, Kuno and Sheopur in Madhya Pradesh; also linked to a 2023 seizure in Tamil Nadu's Sathyamangalam forest
- When
- Poachers were arrested on July 23; Satyanarayan was summoned to appear on August 17
- Why
- Allegations that the NGO staged seizures to build an anti-poaching profile, attract donors, and secure grants
Investigators' Allegations
Wildlife SOS's Position
Staged seizures
Investigators' Allegations
Investigators allege Wildlife SOS staged poaching events so it could claim credit and build a false anti-poaching profile to attract donors and grants.
Wildlife SOS's Position
Wildlife SOS says the incident is linked to legitimate anti-poaching intelligence gathering and 'vehemently' rejects the allegations as a 'total travesty of justice.'
Suspects' employment
Investigators' Allegations
Investigators say seasoned trader Bhagwan Singh was on the NGO's payroll for at least five years and that the NGO's vehicle was used to distribute leg-hold traps.
Wildlife SOS's Position
The NGO says it possesses records and substantial proof to rebut the allegations and stresses that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
Informant cultivation
Investigators' Allegations
Investigators question whether suspected poachers were being cultivated as sources, and sources allege wildlife killings may have occurred for around a year.
Wildlife SOS's Position
Wildlife SOS warns that treating legitimate anti-poaching intelligence work as wildlife crime could frighten informants and whistleblowers away from helping enforcement agencies.
Key facts
- NGO under investigation
- Wildlife SOS
- Seized items
- 10 leopard skins
- Arrests
- 4 poachers on July 23; additional arrests in New Delhi on August 11 and 13
- Key suspects
- Bhagwan Singh (alias Salim) and Wasim Akram
- Evidence recovered
- Buried leopard remains and 3 leg-hold traps from Haryana
- Summons
- CEO Kartick Satyanarayan to appear in Shivpuri on August 17
- NGO founded
- 1995 by Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani
- Coordinating agencies
- MP STSF, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Wildlife Institute of India
Quotes
Dr Samita Rajora
Madhya Pradesh PCCF-Wildlife officer
“"It was revealed that the accused had links to an NGO, Wildlife SOS, through which these activities were being facilitated."”
NDTV
“"The accused took our teams to the places where they had concealed the traps, and we recovered them."”
NDTV
Kartick Satyanarayan
CEO and co‑founder of Wildlife SOS
“"This is shocking, and we are deeply concerned."”
NDTV
Sources
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