Navi Mumbai: Peta condemns killing of tigress T1, calls it wildlife crime

NAVI MUMBAI: Animal rights group PETA India has strongly condemned the shooting of the Maharashtra tigress T1, aka Avni. + The activists have called it a national shame to kill the national animal within the core forest, and further stated that it is nothing short of a wildlife crime.
"Avni was killed illegally to satisfy a hunter's lust for blood, plain and simple, in possible contempt of court and in apparent violation of the Wildlife Protection Act and the guidelines of National Tiger Conservation Authority. She may not have died instantly but slowly, through pain and blood loss, and likely in front of her now orphaned and vulnerable cubs," stated the Lead Emergency Response Coordinator of PETA India, Meet Ashar.

He further said: "This matter must be investigated and treated as a wildlife crime. Whether sanctioned by the state or not, nobody can be above the law. This is a dark day for our nation and we must hang out heads in shame now, and again if this killing goes unpunished."

A Navi Mumbai based activist, Anarjit Chauhan, expressed: ""The killing of T1 tigress has been instigated by local politicians who wanted to appease their voter base in Yavatmal. However, the forest officials should have shown some spine and not allowed the killing of Avni. The tigress should have been tranquilized instead, as per the law."