Deep in the dense forests of Middle Andaman, quiet but chilling signs of poaching have haunted the undergrowth for years — strips of yellow nylon rope wound tightly around tree trunks, footprints vanishing into the thickets, and most tragically, the lifeless remains of deer caught in crude snares, left to rot in silence.
Villagers living on the fringes of these forests had seen it all. They knew the signs. The yellow ropes weren’t markers — they were traps. The footprints didn’t belong to trekkers — they belonged to poachers. But despite this awareness, there was nowhere to take their warnings.
With no nearby forest station, no patrolling officers after dark, and no official forest ‘thana’ (police post) in the vicinity, residents were left with no avenue for reporting or intervention. The isolation of the area created a gap in forest governance, allowing illegal hunting to persist unchecked in one of India’s most ecologically rich regions.
“We saw what was happening, but who could we tell? There was no one, especially at night,” said a local resident who asked not to be named.
The lack of infrastructure for wildlife protection in Middle Andaman has raised urgent concerns among conservationists. These forests are home to a delicate ecosystem that includes endemic species and threatened wildlife, all now vulnerable due to the vacuum in enforcement and oversight.
As calls grow louder for the establishment of dedicated forest protection outposts, officials are finally beginning to take note. Proposals for setting up permanent forest stations and mobile patrol units are reportedly under review by the Andaman & Nicobar Forest Department.
Until then, the forests continue to whisper warnings — signs left behind by those who exploit what lies unseen. And unless action is taken soon, the cost will not only be counted in lost wildlife, but also in lost trust from the communities who tried to protect it.
