News
Racketeers operating illegal elephant safaris caught
View(s):Pix and story by Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa
A group of racketeers who entered Kaudulla National Park to show elephants to tourists without paying for tickets have been nabbed by a special Wildlife Department team.
The raid came after private Safari jeep owners complained to the Wildlife Director General that some safari jeep operators use another route to enter the wildlife parks in their vehicles.
They also claimed that the Wildlife Department was blaming the safari jeep operators for overcrowding the parks without inquiry or investigations.
The team of wildlife officers were able to nab 10 safari jeep operators who entered the national park from a different location.
However, the Safari jeep associations pointed out that the DWC had only blacklisted the 10 safari jeeps and are yet to take legal action against them.
They claim that not only the safari jeep operators but Wildlife Department officers too are involved in the racket.
The racketeers charge a foreigner 25 US dollars, and 20 US dollars from a tourist from a SAARC country. The money does not reach the treasury as the jeep operators do not pay entrance ticket fees.
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