Tamil Nadu club raid yields animal remains - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Tamil Nadu recovered heads of deer, fox and blackbucks after a surprise raid at a club in Nilgiri district on Wednesday. Ootacamund club is a very famous club of Nilgiri district boasting of members from industrial, political and film fraternity. The forest officials conducted a surprise raid inside the club from where a large number of deer, fox and blackbuck heads were recovered. "We have recovered total 82 skulls of wild animals kept under the illegal possession. Only 27 skulls had the valid permission and the rest 55 were illegally possessed. These were seized and taken into custody by the department," said Soundarpandiyan, district forest officer, Nilgiri District. "Out of this 55, 36 skulls belong to Sambhar deer, 15 skulls belong to wild fox and 4 belong to the blackbucks," he added. Poaching is the main threat to the survival of deer, blackbucks and foxes, illegally killed for its antlers and skin.