Bhubaneswar, April 12: Forest officials at Similipal Tiger Reserve have stepped up vigil in view of Akhanda Shikar, an annual hunting ritual of the local tribal people beginning April 14, the Mahavishuv Sankranti day.

Sources in the forest department said patrolling had been intensified since April 1 in all the 19 territorial ranges of Similipal, including seven in the core zone.

It is being supervised by five divisional forest officers and three assistant conservators of forest.

“An anti-poaching drive has been undertaken to prevent Akhanda Shikar,” said Anup Nayak, regional chief conservator of forests.

The ritual has continued despite various attempts by the Similipal authorities and voluntary bodies to educate the tribal people about its disastrous effects on wildlife in the region.

These people, though deeply attached to the forests, consider hunting around this time to be auspicious because they believe the spirits of their ancestors roam the forests.

Apart from organising patrolling and setting up several anti-poaching camps, the forest authorities are trying their best to wean away these people from this practice by holding archery competitions in the areas where villagers are prone to illegal hunting around this time of the year.

Sources said following concerted efforts, about 50 attempts by poachers to enter Similipal have been foiled so far and 12 poachers have been arrested.

“Forest areas under Udala, Kaptipada and Dukura in the buffer zone of the sanctuary have been identified as vulnerable. Combing in these areas has been undertaken with the assistance of the local police,” said Sanjukta Basha, an honorary wildlife warden.

Four poachers — Chotray Marandi of Itagard, Budhuray Hembram of Dukura and Dhanu Soren and Laxman Marandi of Anatapur — who had recently surrendered and vowed not to hunt again, have been involved in the anti-poaching drive this time.

“They have been of great help. They know which route poachers use. It was on the basis of their information that we succeeded in thwarting several attempts by poachers,” said Bhanoomitra Acharya, another honorary wildlife warden from Mayurbhanj district.

There is also widespread speculation about poaching gangs funding Akhanda Shikar with their own ends in mind.

If the tribal hunters get caught, they take the blame without revealing the names of the people behind them, said a source.