Chencho Dema

Wangdue — Four individuals, aged between 50 and 66, have been arrested in Wangdue for allegedly attempting to strike a deal involving four Asian elephant tusks in Punatshangchhu.

The suspects were apprehended on November 11 and are currently held at the Wangdue police station for investigations.

Sources revealed that one of the suspects purchased the tusks from an  Indian national in Gelephu, and later transported them to Wangdue at the request of another individual involved in the deal.

Police are investigating the authenticity of the tusks, but it has not been confirmed whether they are genuine elephant tusks. Further details are being withheld by the Wangdue police, who stated that the case is still under investigation.

The Asian elephant, classified as endangered, is protected under Schedule I of the Forest and Nature Conservation Rules of 2023, which includes other at-risk species such as the snow leopard, tiger, and musk deer. These species are granted the highest level of protection under Bhutan’s Forest and Nature Conservation Act of 2023.

According to the Act, killing an animal listed under Schedule I is considered a third-degree felony, punishable by a prison sentence of five to nine years. In addition to imprisonment, those found guilty are required to pay compensation of Nu. 100,000 per tusk. For a pair of tusks, this would total Nu. 200,000.

The severity of the offense depends on the level of involvement in the crime. If suspects are found guilty of capturing an elephant, it is classified as a fourth-degree felony. However, if the elephant is killed, the crime is elevated to a third-degree felony. Individuals involved in trafficking wildlife products, such as elephant tusks, would be charged under a fourth-degree felony.

Once the court delivers its verdict, the seized tusks will be transferred to the Department of Forests. They will then be handed over to the Taxidermy Unit for proper storage of the animal parts.

Globally, the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to the ongoing threats of poaching, illegal trade, habitat destruction, and human-elephant conflict. With fewer than 50,000 individuals left worldwide, the species is found in 13 countries across Asia, including Bhutan, India, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.

In Bhutan, the National Elephant Survey of 2018 estimated the population at 678 elephants, an increase from 513 in 2021. Elephants are primarily found in the southern districts of Bhutan, including Samtse, Chukha, Dagana, Sarpang, Pemagatshel, and Samdrupjongkhar, where they continue to face threats from human activities and habitat loss.