In Gujarat, India, authorities arrested five people after recovering a leopard skin in Valsad, which was alleged to be part of a larger illegal wildlife operation. 

What happened?

According to Mid-Day, authorities from Wildlife SOS, the Gujarat Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the Gujarat Forest Department carried out the operation. Range Forest Officers J.D. Rathore and C.R. Patel said these events are happening more often, but their dedicated teamwork is stopping much of the crime.

Officials said a mediator attempted to sell the leopard skin to a wildlife trafficker, but undercover Wildlife SOS and GSPCA agents interrupted the sale. 

Wildlife SOS Co-Founder and CEO Kartick Satyanarayan explained that the recovery of the leopard skin is just the latest occurrence in the "ongoing poaching crisis." He said that the wildlife organizations involved in the raid are dedicated to their mission of eliminating illegal wildlife networks and protecting animals. 

Why is the wildlife trade concerning?

India already has a major problem with the illicit wildlife trade, which threatens its biodiversity and endangers animals that often are injured or don't survive the harsh journey to trafficking networks. Tigers, leopards, star tortoises, elephants, rhinos, and sea horses are common animals involved in the trade. 

Leopard populations are considered threatened and vulnerable, facing major threats from habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and poaching. The IUCN Red List has classified them as "Near Threatened," with a suspected population decrease of nearly 25% over three generations, according to Mongabay.

And it's not just in India that illegal wildlife activity is a problem. Africa and Madagascar have also had major issues with wildlife poaching in recent years, and globally, trafficking is on the rise.

What's being done to help leopards?

Conservation and anti-poaching efforts are helping protect the leopards, and some wildlife officials have started using camera traps to monitor populations. If you come across any suspicious wildlife products for sale online, you can report them to the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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