Journal of Threatened Taxa |
www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 March 2020 | 12(4): 15407–15413
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893
(Print)
doi: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5783.12.4.15407-15413
#5783 | Received 19 February 2020 | Final received 28 February 2020 |
Finally accepted 10 March 2020
Do wildlife crimes against less
charismatic species go unnoticed? A case study of Golden Jackal Canis aureus Linnaeus, 1758 poaching and trade
in India
Malaika Mathew Chawla 1,
Arjun Srivathsa 2, Priya
Singh 3, Iravatee
Majgaonkar 4, Sushma Sharma 5,
Girish Punjabi 6 & Aditya Banerjee 7
1 College of
Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville QLD 4811, Australia.
2 School of
Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
32611, USA.
2 Department of
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
32611, USA.
2,5 Wildlife
Conservation Society–India, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Kodigehalli,
Bengaluru, Karnataka 560097, India.
3 Researchers
for Wildlife Conservation, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Rajiv
Gandhi Nagar, Kodigehalli, Bengaluru,
Karnataka 560065, India.
4 Centre for
Biodiversity and Conservation, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the
Environment, Srirampura, Jakkur,
Bengaluru, Karnataka 560064, India.
6 Wildlife
Conservation Trust, Mafatlal Centre, 11th Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai,
Maharashtra 400021, India.
7 Conservation
Initiatives, Suraj Nagar, Six Mile, Guwahati, Assam 781022, India.
1 chawlamalaika@gmail.com
(corresponding author), 2 asrivathsa@wcsindia.org, 3 karnisar@gmail.com,
4 iravati.m@gmail.com,
5 sushmasharma@wcsindia.org, 6 girisharjunpunjabi@gmail.com,
7 adiban22@gmail.com
Editor:
Mewa Singh, University of Mysore, Mysuru, India. Date of publication: 26 March
2020 (online & print)
Citation: Chawla, M.M., A. Srivathsa,
P. Singh, I. Majgaonkar, S. Sharma, G. Punjabi &
A. Banerjee (2020). Do wildlife crimes against less charismatic species go
unnoticed? A case study of Golden Jackal Canis
aureus Linnaeus, 1758 poaching and trade in India. Journal of Threatened
Taxa 12(4): 15407–15413. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5783.12.4.15407-15413
Copyright:
© Chawla et al. 2020.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows
unrestricted use, reproduction, and distribution of this article in any medium
by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publication.
Funding: This research received no financial support.
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Author details: Malaika Mathew Chawla is currently studying the determinants of the range
limits of the invasive red fox in Australia. She is also interested
in human dimensions of wildlife and has worked on human–jackal
co-adaptation in rural landscapes of Goa, India. She is currently with James
Cook University, Australia. Arjun Srivathsa is interested in large carnivores, with a
focus on dholes. His research work deals with population ecology,
human–wildlife interactions and conservation biology of wild canids in India.
He is currently with the University of Florida, USA and Wildlife
Conservation Society-India. Priya Singh is an independent researcher working on carnivore
communities in northeastern India. Iravatee Majgaonkar is a PhD student at
the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment. She has previously
worked on carnivore distribution and human-carnivore relations in the Deccan
landscape. Sushma Sharma has been
involved in various projects aimed at understanding population ecology of
carnivores. She is currently a project assistant with Wildlife
Conservation Society–India, and aspires to continue working on carnivore
ecology. Girish Punjabi is a
wildlife biologist, and is broadly interested in understanding terrestrial
mammal distributions, population ecology, and the role of science in conservation
policy. He now works with Wildlife Conservation Trust. Aditya Banerjee is an aspiring
conservationist, currently working with Conservation Initiatives. He is
interested in studying ecology of wild canids and small carnivores in India.
Author contributions: MMC and AS conceived the idea, MMC and AB compiled the
data, all authors critically evaluated and validated the data and finally MMC,
AS, and SS processed the data for publication.
All authors contributed towards writing the manuscript.
Acknowledgements: The authors thank Wildlife Conservation Society–India
for providing institutional and logistical support. A.S. was supported by
Wildlife Conservation Society’s Christensen Conservation Leaders Scholarship
and Wildlife Conservation Network’s Sidney Byers Fellowship. G.P was supported
by Idea Wild. We thank M. Vijairaghavan, A.T. Vanak, A. Kulkarni and A. Katna
for their inputs. We are grateful to Sharada R. for providing the local
language abstract.
Abstract:
Wildlife crimes pertaining to lesser-known species do not usually garner
adequate focus or interest by enforcement and conservation agencies. Additionally, illegal wildlife trade fuelled
by religious beliefs in sorcery and superstition is an oft-neglected field of
research. To draw attention to these two
broad issues, we provide a baseline analysis of open-source reports on Golden
Jackal Canis aureus poaching and trade
in India. We highlight the pervasiveness
of an active local and transnational ‘jackal horn’ trade, which is severely
under-reported and insufficiently researched.
News reports and government seizure data reveal that, between 2013 and
2019, 126 skins, eight tails, more than 370 ‘jackal horns’, 16 skulls and two
live jackals have been seized. The
demand for the illusionary ‘jackal horn’ appears to be driven by extensive
online endorsement and unsubstantiated claims made by religious practitioners,
targeted primarily at south Asian markets.
This preliminary study is an urgent call for concerted efforts to
monitor the illegal trafficking and trade of this common species, with a
particular focus on the demand and supply chains.
Keywords: Canis aureus, carnivores, ‘jackal horn’,
management, illegal wildlife trade, poaching, wildlife trafficking.
INTRODUCTION
The marginalization of less charismatic species is
evident in the lack of conservation funding and public discourse in preventing
their illegal poaching and trade (Sigouin et al.
2017). Conservation efforts to combat
poaching are generally focused on large, charismatic species or species that
face immediate extinction threats.
Illegal trade of relatively abundant species, whose populations are not
considered to face imminent declines, however, may comprise a significant
portion of wildlife seizure data (Scheffers et al. 2019).
For example, digital monitoring of illegal wildlife trade in the United States
revealed that non-threatened species, which included deer, elk, moose and bear
were frequently confiscated, although these species were not typically the
focus of organizations controlling illegal wildlife trade (Hansen et al.
2012). This presents a paradox. While anti-poaching efforts focus
inadequately on common species, unsustainable hunting or poaching could in fact
accelerate the decline of less charismatic species and result in local
extinctions (e.g., local extinction of the African Civet in several areas in
Ghana driven by unsustainable bush meat hunting; Ryan & Attuquayefio
2000; Damania et al. 2005). Additionally, the pursuit of a common target
species could lead to the ‘opportunistic exploitation’ of a higher value rare
species. The basis of this suggestion is that targeting a widespread species,
while also earning profits through opportunistic encounters with higher valued
species, is more profitable than targeting higher valued species alone (Branch
et al. 2013). Therefore, monitoring
common or relatively widespread species in illegal wildlife trade networks
fulfills the dual role of preventing an abundant species from spiralling into decline and reducing poaching pressure on
rare species.
An oft-overlooked aspect of illegal wildlife trade is
one that is rooted in local religious practices. Wildlife may be utilized as sacrificial
offerings (e.g., sea turtle sacrifice by Balinese Hindus in Indonesia; Jensen
2009), ornaments (e.g., birds-of-paradise feathers for traditional outfits in
Papua New Guinea; Van den Bergh et al. 2013), food in festivals or ceremonies
(e.g., consumption of barking deer and wild pig meat during the Morum festival in north-east India; Hilaluddin
et al. 2005), products for sorcery practice (e.g., Demidoff’s
Bushbaby skull in West Africa; Djagoun
et al. 2018) and in similar superstitious practices (e.g., Indian Star Tortoise
in India; D’Cruz et al. 2015). An investigation of outdoor markets and
religious shops in northern Brazil revealed that the wildlife trade for
religious purposes involved an extensive commercial network of collectors,
distributors and shop owners, where priests of the Candomblé religion directed
traders and customers about the type of animal and their body parts used for
specific religious ceremonies (Alves et al. 2012).
In India, conservation bias towards charismatic species
echoes amongst policy makers, with many holding the view that large,
charismatic wildlife are the primary target species for poaching or
illegal trade (Niraj et al. 2009). In
contrast, illegal wildlife trade in the country constitutes a significant
portion of lesser-known, less charismatic and common species that are traded in
diverse markets as exotic pets, wild meat, traditional medicine, sorcery and
superstitious practices, perfumes, souvenirs, ornaments and even for the
manufacture of painting and shaving products, among other reasons (Sahajpal et al. 2009; Aiyadurai
2011; Mendiratta et al. 2017; Sharma et al.
2019). The demand for products used in
superstitious or religious practices surpasses state and national boundaries,
giving rise to widespread and diverse consumer groups. The evidence-base for this trade,
unfortunately, is limited and ambiguous.
This is typified by the local and international trade in monitor lizard Varanus spp. genital parts, driven by belief in
sorcery, superstition and traditional medicine.
The body part is sold in local markets and online platforms with the
Hindi name ‘hatha jodi’, which is also the name for
the root of Martynia annua,
a rare medicinal plant. The masked
biological origin, and shared nomenclature with a plant that is valued as
traditional medicine, most likely facilitates the trade while evading detection
by enforcement authorities (Bhattacharya & Koch 2018; Rajpoot et al. 2018;
Sharma et al. 2019). Additionally, the
use of e-commerce platforms for wildlife-derived products (compared to previous
‘word-of-mouth’ approaches; Ahmed 2010) presents a definitive shift by sorcery
practitioners to reach a much wider clientele.
Illegal, small-scale wildlife markets benefit from online legal
markets by the legal protection provided by these companies, and as a means to
expand business opportunities in a relatively risk-free cyber space (Lavorgna 2014).
Poaching of the Golden Jackal Canis
aureus in India exemplifies two broad issues discussed above: (i) the marginalization of less-charismatic species in terms
of conservation efforts, and (ii) illegal trade of common species for religious
practices. The Golden Jackal is listed
under the Least Concern category of the IUCN Red List because of its large
global distribution and purported stable populations. In India, hunting and trade of jackals is a
punishable offence; it is protected under Schedule II of the Wild Life
Protection Act (1972) and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). To provide baseline information on the
severely under-reported issue of illegal poaching and trade of jackals, we
examined multiple forms of internet-based media which include advertisements,
social media posts, blog articles, news reports and peer-reviewed
articles. We compiled data on illegal
hunting, sale of jackal body parts, trade, and seizure reports by enforcement
agencies, from 2013 to 2019. Key
findings based on the analysis of online media posts and reports are presented
in this article.
SUBSISTENCE HUNTING, POACHING, AND TRADE
Our review of open-source reports showed that jackal
meat is consumed by several communities in the north-eastern states, and parts
of western, central and southern India (Borah & Prasad 2016). Jackal body parts such as head, skin, tail
and teeth find use in traditional and cultural practices in southern India, and
jackal organs are believed to have medicinal properties in central India. Poaching and trade of skin, teeth, tail and
hair have been documented in media reports from several Indian states (Figure
1). Our analysis of media reports
revealed that 126 skins, eight tails, and two live jackals were seized by the
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau of India (WCCB) between 2013 and 2019 (see
Supplementary Material).
A more pervasive threat is likely from poaching of
jackals for ‘siyar singhi’—a
talisman extracted from the jackal’s skull—translating to ‘jackal horn’ in
English. A jackal’s skull does not have
a true horn; the ‘siyar singhi’
is either a protrusion or deformity behind the jackal’s sagittal crest, or in
many cases, a tuft of hair from a jackal or any domestic animal (dog, pig, or
goat), stuck together in the shape of a ball.
Some images on the Internet also show the dewclaw of jackals/foxes/dogs
marketed as ‘jackal horn’. The sale of
‘jackal horn’ appears to be commonplace in Indian trade markets, as evidenced
by advertisements on social media and popular online retail outlets. Regional names for ‘jackal horn’ include ‘siyar singhi’ or ‘gidar singhi’ in Hindi, Urdu, and
Punjabi, and ‘nari kombu’ in Tamil, Kannada, and
Telugu. Between 2013 and 2019, the WCCB
seized more than 370 ‘jackal horns’ and 16 skulls. These seizures usually happen during
anti-trafficking operations targeted at ‘hatha jodi’
(dried copulatory organ of monitor lizard Varanus
spp.) trade (Bhattacharya & Koch 2018; Sharma et al. 2019). The demand for ‘jackal horns’ appears to be
driven by superstitious beliefs, strengthened by online propaganda, perpetuated
by traders of ritualistic worship materials, astrologers, and sorcery or ‘black
magic’ practitioners of Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh religious groups (see
Supplementary Material).
ONLINE ENDORSEMENT AND TRADE OF ‘JACKAL HORNS’
We found that verified accounts on YouTube endorse the
purported magical powers of ‘jackal horns’, with several tutorials demonstrating
how the product is stored or used. These
parts are often sold in pairs, claiming to be a male and a female. Online advertisements and videos show the
widespread presence of an internet-based market for jackal parts, with local,
regional, and international stakeholders.
The demand from sorcery practitioners of the southern Asian diaspora
perhaps fuels the trade. Based on
evidence from social media posts and e-commerce platforms, we believe that
Pakistan may be a source-country (besides India) for the ‘siyar
singhi’ trade (see Supplementary Material). We found that online retailers based in the
UK, USA, Germany, and Singapore also list ‘jackal horns’ for sale on their
websites. Some reports indicate that
sellers procure the product from local hunters, while others suggest ‘jackal
horns’ are part of a much wider international trade. These open markets raise serious concerns
about the prevalence of organised crime networks
transporting and distributing jackal products across international
borders. There is some evidence that
jackals may be poached by planting crude bombs or trapped in leg-hold
traps. The jackal trade issue discussed
here is, therefore, problematic, both, from the ecological and animal welfare perspectives.
KEY CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Limited only to publicly accessible reports and social
media articles, our exploratory research underscores the paucity of
comprehensive data or academic analyses of seizures related to jackal
parts. Absence of detailed information
such as the quantity, modus operandi, transit modes, transit routes, and
potential destinations, impedes our understanding of the scale of harvest and
components of the demand–supply chain.
The biases associated with English media news reports further add to the
problem; levels of public interest and awareness may influence locations and
accuracy in such reporting. Furthermore,
those states in India that actively enforce poaching and wildlife trafficking
laws may be overrepresented in the media.
Understanding the extent of local and transnational trade in jackal
parts and combating the trade will require ground-based investigations and
collaborations between source and destination countries. This will largely depend on political will,
or the lack of it.
As preliminary efforts in this direction, we strongly
recommend that State Forest Departments confiscate jackal parts that may be
encountered while targeting the larger illegal trade market for superstitious
ritualistic products, which often include monitor lizards, musk pods (from
Himalayan Musk Deer Moschus chrysogaster), pangolin scales, leopard parts, snake
bones, owls, corals and other species (see Supplementary Material). Animal parts seized during such raids should
be sent for laboratory-based genetic analysis to help ascertain species
identity. Protocols in the
identification, screening and documentation of ‘jackal horn’ trade need to be
developed for the Police, Forest officials and enforcement agencies that
regulate wildlife trade. Given the
trans-boundary nature of the trade, Customs officials deputed at international
transit points need to be trained in identification of these products. E-commerce portals such as Amazon, Facebook,
eBay, and possibly YouTube must incorporate a stricter screening of posts that
involve illegal trade of wild animal parts through their websites. These measures would also go a long way in
meeting the Convention of Biological Diversity post-2020 global commitments
that stress on the importance of maintaining transparency in wildlife trade
flows between countries (IUCN 2019).
CONCLUSION
Knowledge of Golden Jackal poaching and trade in India
is severely lacking due to its ‘common’ status, lack of public awareness and
its prevalence in the lesser-known wildlife market driven by superstitious and
religious practices. Through our
exploratory analysis, we draw attention to the widespread poaching and trade of
jackal body parts in India, largely driven by superstitious belief. We highlight the prevalence of the ‘jackal
horn’- a talisman extracted from the jackal’s skull that is widely advertised
on social media and e-commerce platforms. News reports and government seizure
data reveal that the ‘jackal horn’ trade is possibly part of the larger
wildlife trade for sorcery products that similarly targets monitor lizards,
pangolins, leopards, musk deer, owls and several marine species. At present, critical knowledge gaps impede
effective detection and prevention of jackal poaching crimes. Future investigations will need to focus on
periodic monitoring of the species to further our understanding of trends in
wildlife trade and trafficking of jackals in India and beyond.
Supplementary Material (Appendix 1–4)
Information on poaching and trade news reports and
seizure reports. Requests for archived
news articles, images and videos may be directed to the corresponding author.
Supplementary Table 1: Golden Jackal Trade and Trafficking:
‘Jackal horn’/ ‘Siyar singhi’.
|
|
Month/Year |
Location |
State |
Remarks |
Source |
Web Source Link |
|
1 |
Oct-18 |
Durg |
Chhattisgarh |
325 'jackal horns' and other
items seized, one arrest made |
Facebook |
https://www.facebook.com/WCCBHQ/photos/pcb.2181416092106197/2181411855439954/?type=3&theater
|
|
2 |
Nov-15 |
Not available |
Andhra Pradesh |
Facebook seller of 'jackal horn'
and other wildlife products |
Facebook |
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1586701538219113&set=pcb.1586701611552439&type=3&theater
|
|
3 |
Jun-16 |
Not available |
Punjab & Chhattisgarh |
Endorsing use of 'jackal horn'
in black magic |
Facebook |
https://www.facebook.com/1534636733511969/photos/a.1535697460072563/1543731165935859/?type=3&theater
|
|
4 |
Oct-16 |
Bangalore |
Karnataka |
Endorsing use of 'jackal horn'
in black magic |
Facebook |
https://www.facebook.com/onlineloveproblemssolutions/photos/basw.AbpqMf_skvD4bbEuB1ybEb6jbUBIVvc0ZL6nBhxZO5iOShJgpSHlHIUIKGqF7ia7ZfoSJhmQ1BrL6cTgAO10SHrgGy-0kDCiiQAUBdQpWkwjphxDiOIPSv1heCIyZ_tOHK1_TmAzeRbjZLckjThRF-ix8LQYVRsOtwfL268Dl3Dzw.1416645638621343.10202190527619169.1545053349136974.1133217456799838.568560056656679.720365731399512.1545054829136826.568556543323697.557568107755874/1133217456799838/?type=1&opaqueCursor=AbqoWt17_VpHrqCX1MalIy4wYHH0hidEKPgq9x_kfgwVFJQLBzjgHDcznf3BvY7ookat4F62DzpuHiRrGJ1xZqyyr8VY_-isn9A7OiZbeY9xw6UH1XFy4bZA4gJ0Nmbdyl7gFsF5n6d6taW32sOPpxSmBfoArNpEtA6bsKWIrRDjNCLSRerlD_wIlg8lo2KeRaI_TXvCXcQyJqH1FpcDudQ2MGxZpEbZ3R_txk3GvBkRhhskQHW76aABOzm-YkaVbcRwie2KKeeXTl5khXTWn1VXHS376p66LZntvn_f8pasBULuCYESZThYL8ilBoJ2uck4PXHf7Wae950QbmPWIIujuL2bx9MBExC0BJoePa7MIjSR_8Ul3EmKZXCW7z-WDnceok8SvKlLM_RgIY-YrX_lLduSuRnluIoY_R0zlchPal2_Ake07yzK11PaKT8CRcDd6g_IY-My_IHdFcNP9jmeX9Xrt0XyMgEDdYLzs3qCeznHaOCrd4M2qPB6Gza16eGjmJIXrBdmfk-Wh627gVzJTcSquIafidqqCV7s60fbtSZ0zi7PJUTLFc74jJJBn9AnBc-9LE6ok-KVhcUZuw1qQQoBr87TwjLHZTyeKtmYSMZIvgcjovDidP8AIHAfqAOpsE_2ZMz_LtFXzKSULnYlG-PEBFn3F_9Si5ET6-HcLzT8nxp1mv60QZJJY-Gp1oY&theater |
|
5 |
Jul-18 |
Delhi |
NCT of Delhi |
Amazon seller |
Amazon |
https://www.amazon.com/craftslook-siyar-singhi-gidar-Singhi/dp/B00VL9NFCY
|
|
6 |
Jun-16 |
Jodhpur |
Rajasthan |
Trade India seller |
Trade India |
|
|
7 |
Dec-18 |
Kolkata |
West Bengal |
Online shop: Rs
4000 |
Fortune Teller India |
|
|
8 |
May-18 |
Navi Mumbai |
Maharashtra |
Online shop: Rs
4100 |
WhiteAuraVastu Store |
|
|
9 |
Mar-18 |
Delhi |
NCT of Delhi |
Product discontinued, sold
for Rs 5700 |
Shop Clues |
https://www.shopclues.com/sidha-and-original-siyar-singhi-singi-gidar-singhi.html
|
|
10 |
Jan-18 |
Mumbai |
Maharashtra |
Rs 1484 for 'jackal horn' and
hatha jodi |
Abel Store |
http://abelestore.com/home-decor-furnishings/original-hatha-jodi-siyar-singhi-combo/p-7002726-70837448739-cat.html
(Page no longer exists) |
|
11 |
Jan-18 |
Delhi |
NCT of Delhi |
An account of an astrologer from
Delhi |
Blogpost |
http://craftsman-saqib.blogspot.com/2012/01/gider-singhi-siyar-singhi-or-jackals.html
|
|
12 |
Aug-15 |
Delhi |
NCT of Delhi |
Endorsing use of 'jackal horn'
in black magic |
Wordpress |
https://kamakhyavashikaranservices.wordpress.com/tag/siyar-singhi-price-in-delhi/
(Page no longer exists) |
|
14 |
Feb-18 |
Meerut |
Uttar Pradesh |
16 'jackal horns' and other
wildlife products seized from a tantric shop |
Times of India |
|
|
15 |
2018 |
Morabadi |
Jharkhand |
Online shop: Rs 4150 |
Tantra Astro |
http://www.tantraastro.com/product/100-original-sidha-siyar-singi-jackal-horn/?fbclid=IwAR1H8XgsNT8DIf2DrR3JnVfuMYqOUa8GnlYX0zE9A7AmZWJuJbjOoQiaAB4
(Page no longer exists) |
|
16 |
Jun-17 |
Noida |
Uttar Pradesh |
27 'jackal horns' and other
wildlife products seized |
Times of India- Noida |
|
|
17 |
Jan-19 |
Dhanmandi, Udaipur |
Rajasthan |
4 shops raided; 'jackal horns'
and other wildlife products seized |
Udaipur Times |
https://udaipurtimes.com/pooja-product-sellers-arrested-selling-wild-life-products/
|
|
18 |
Sep-18 |
Not available |
Jammu and Kashmir |
Explanation of 'jackal horn' by
astrologers |
YouTube |
|
|
19 |
Aug-17 |
Indore |
Madhya Pradesh |
Jackal horn' and hatha jodi seized from a company- Shubh
Bhakti |
The Indian Express |
|
|
21 |
Sep-18 |
Bhilwara |
Rajasthan |
Jackal horn' and other wildlife
products seized, two arrested |
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau,
Government of India |
http://wccb.gov.in/Content/NewsDetail.aspx?news_id=1229
(Page no longer exists) |
|
22 |
Jun-17 |
Allahabad |
Uttar Pradesh |
Jackal horn' sold by tantriks during Mahakumbh, 2013 |
Shodhganga |
http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/38763/12/12_chapter%205.pdf
|
|
23 |
Sep-18 |
Jaipur |
Rajasthan |
Endorsing use of 'jackal horn'
in black magic |
YouTube |
|
|
24 |
Nov-17 |
Not available |
Rajasthan |
Customer's account |
YouTube |
|
|
25 |
Jul-15 |
Vellore |
Tamil Nadu |
3 jackal heads seized; jackal
heads sold during 'Girivalam' festival |
Times of India- Chennai |
|
|
26 |
Jan-15 |
Samayapuram |
Tamil Nadu |
12 jackal skulls seized |
The Hindu |
|
|
27 |
Jun-17 |
Ahmedabad |
Gujarat |
24 'jackal horns' and other
wildlife products seized |
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau,
Government of India |
Supplementary Table 2. Illegal endorsement of ‘Jackal
horn’/ ‘Siyar singhi’ on
YouTube.
|
|
Month/Year |
Remarks |
Source |
Web source Link |
|
1 |
Apr-19 |
Tantric practitioner describes
uses of 'jackal horn' and how to activate it |
YouTube |
|
|
2 |
Sep-17 |
Tantric practitioner describes
uses and storage of 'jackal horn' |
YouTube |
|
|
3 |
Jan-18 |
Tantric practitioner describes
uses and storage of 'jackal horn' |
YouTube |
|
|
4 |
May-18 |
Tantric practitioner describes
uses and storage of 'jackal horn' |
YouTube |
|
|
5 |
Jan-18 |
Tantric practitioner describes
how the original 'jackal horn' male and female pair look |
YouTube |
|
|
6 |
Jun-17 |
Tantric practitioner claims that
the jackal itself sheds the 'horn' from its head |
YouTube |
|
|
7 |
Jul-18 |
Tantric practitioner describes
and uses and storage of 'jackal horn' |
YouTube |
|
|
8 |
Feb-19 |
Tantric practitioner
demonstrates the storage of 'jackal horns' using a "fresh" pair |
YouTube |
|
|
9 |
Feb-19 |
Tantric practitioner shows the
skeletal structure of an animal and claims it is derived from jackal |
YouTube |
|
|
10 |
Dec-18 |
Seller describes uses of 'jackal
horn' and alerts viewers of fake ones |
YouTube |
|
|
11 |
Jan-19 |
Seller claims to give a live
demonstration of the removal of the 'horn' from a jackal via video call |
YouTube |
|
|
12 |
Mar-16 |
Seller claims to provide details
of a 'DNA test' to prove the authenticity of the 'jackal horn' |
YouTube |
|
|
13 |
Sep-18 |
Use of 'jackal horn' in
combination with hatha jodi in tantric practice |
YouTube |
|
|
14 |
Jan-18 |
Use of 'jackal horn' in combination
with hatha jodi in tantric practice |
YouTube |
Supplementary Table 3. Details of trade and
trafficking of golden jackal body parts in India.
|
|
Month/Year |
Location |
State |
Remarks |
Source |
Web Source Link |
|
1 |
Dec-14 |
Tiruttani |
Tamil Nadu |
8 jackal tails seized; each tail
was priced at Rs. 300 |
The Hindu- Chennai |
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/jackal-tails-seized-in-tiruttani/article6665863.ece
|
|
2 |
Oct-16 |
Periyar TR |
Kerala/ Tamil Nadu |
14 jackal skins seized |
Wildlife Trust of India |
|
|
3 |
Jan-18 |
Ropar |
Punjab |
112 jackal skins and poaching
traps seized |
Times of India- Chandigarh |
|
|
4 |
Feb-19 |
Rohtak |
Haryana |
1 jackal killed with a trap and
spear |
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau,
Government of India |
|
|
5 |
Dec-17 |
Trichy |
Tamil Nadu |
Traps set for jackals to sell
off nails and teeth |
Times of India- Trichy |
|
|
6 |
Jun-19 |
Hyderabad |
Telangana |
1 live jackal rescued from bird
trade market |
Times of India- Hyderabad |
|
|
7 |
July-19 |
Kurukshetra |
Haryana |
1 jackal seized along with
jungle cat and monitor lizards |
Facebook |
https://www.facebook.com/WCCBHQ/photos/a.1937867123127763/2358458097735328/?type=3&theater
|
Supplementary Table 4. Evidences of jackal hunting as
a source of bush-meat.
|
|
Month/Year |
Location |
State |
Remarks |
Source |
Web Source Link |
|
1 |
Nov-16 |
Mangrol |
Gujarat |
Caught and kept in captivity for
meat |
Facebook |
https://www.facebook.com/krunal.trivedi.94/posts/1167339343331316
|
|
2 |
Jul-16 |
East Midnapore |
West Bengal |
Hunted by local communities
during Jyeshtha Amavasya |
Mongabay |
|
|
3 |
Jan-17 |
Rajgarh |
Madhya Pradesh |
Hunted; leg-hold traps,
head, meat and hair seized |
Times of India- Bhopal |
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