Boudh,Nov 11: Leopard poaching has been rampant in Odisha’s Boudh district resulting in vulnerable threats for the endangered species.

As many as 20 leopards have been poached from the Boudh territorial forest division for trading their hides in the recent past, said the records of the district forest officials.

At the same time, the Wildlife wings of the Special Task Force (STF) have nabbed more than 40 accused including the poachers and illegal peddlers in this connection.

Acting upon a tip-off, the STF team conducted a raid on Thursday with the help of Boudh Territorial Forest Range officials under Boudh Forest Division near Baunsuni Bridge Chhak and recovered a leopard hide from the possession of two accused namely Abanikanta Kanhar and Sakinath Kanhar. At the same time, the STF team seized other incriminating materials from them.

According to an STF official, during last one year, it has unearthed as many as 20 Leopard skin, 10 Elephant Tusk, 2 deer skins, 6 live pangolin and 15 kg pangolin scales and arrested 40 wildlife criminals.

If the wildlife crime is not checked with a strong will the leopard species in Boudh forests will go extinct, he said.

The STF is one of the specialized wings of Odisha Crime Branch to curb the forest resources-related crimes in the State. Especially, wildlife crimes remain one of the focus areas of the STF.

STF will continue its drive against the wildlife poachers and hide trading rackets in order to safeguard the endangered species ,added the official.