Sambalpur, June 11: Forest officials have seized a leopard skin from one Pitambar Meher, a resident of Dunguripali area in Sambalpur district, around 25 kilometers from here.

Meher told forest officials that he had bought the leopard skin from a person of Turei, a village under Bamra forest division in Sambalpur district.

“During investigation, the accused revealed that he had bought the leopard skin for Rs 1000 and was supposed to sell it for Rs 6,000. We are assuming that the age of the leopard would be of around 6-7 years. However, the exact age could be known after we get the report from the Wild Life Institute of India,” said additional conservator of forest, Sambalpur division, Devapriya Kampa.

“Skins of wild animals are being trafficked to foreign countries. This is the second incident and the existence of a racket operating in this area cannot be ruled out. However, details about its existence can be known once the investigation is over,” said Kampa.

Forest officials have registered a case against the accused Pitambar Meher under several sections of the Wildlife Protection Act.

“The age of the leopard would be around six to seven years. It had been shot with a gun. The length of the skin from head to tail is 7 ft and 3 inches and its width 1ft and 7 inches,” said Padiabahal forest range officer Kanhu Charan Nath.

The forest official assumed that the bullet had hit below the abdomen of the leopard and that it had been killed two months ago.

“This is the second time that the skin of a wild animal has been recovered from a person. In 2009, forest officials had seized the skin of a royal bengal tiger in Chinimahul, a village under Bamra forest division of Sambalpur district. The tiger was nine years old and the poacher had killed the animal with a gun,” said the forest range officer.

“Skins of animals like leopards and tigers are being smuggled to gulf countries as people of those countries buy these at hefty prices. The buyers generally make trophies with these skins,” said Nath.