Gangtok, July 23: Three French nationals have been charged under the Wildlife Protection Act after they were caught collecting butterflies, moths and beetles in a reserve forest in West Sikkim.
Forest officials picked up the trio on Friday evening. While they have not been formally arrested, they have been asked not to leave Sikkim till investigations are over. They are presently holed up in a hotel in Gyalsing, the West district headquarters.
Ludivine Jeannine Charlotte Popihn, a 21-year-old woman, and her two male companions, Mathew Grevereau Francois, 21, and Arnaud Jean Raymond Popihn, 23, were collecting the specimens at Budang reserve forest near Soreng.
They were in possession of 41 specimens, which are protected under various schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act.
The additional principal chief conservator of forests of Sikkim, S.T. Lachungpa, confirmed today that the three French nationals had violated the wildlife rules as they did not have necessary permission from the state forest, wildlife and environment department.
Various equipment, including nets and gadgets to attract butterflies, were also seized from them, Lachungpa added.
Ludivine, Mathew and Arnaud have claimed that they were students of ecology and were collecting the samples for study.
The district forest officials have forwarded the case to the chief wildlife warden at the forest secretariat here in Gangtok for further investigation. It is also being probed to see whether the specimens in their possession are rare species.
The trio could be let off lightly if the probe result is negative.
Around seven years ago, two Russians had been arrested under similar charges and subsequent investigations found that they had been collecting rare species of butterflies. They served a short sentence.
Forest officials picked up the trio on Friday evening. While they have not been formally arrested, they have been asked not to leave Sikkim till investigations are over. They are presently holed up in a hotel in Gyalsing, the West district headquarters.
Ludivine Jeannine Charlotte Popihn, a 21-year-old woman, and her two male companions, Mathew Grevereau Francois, 21, and Arnaud Jean Raymond Popihn, 23, were collecting the specimens at Budang reserve forest near Soreng.
They were in possession of 41 specimens, which are protected under various schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act.
The additional principal chief conservator of forests of Sikkim, S.T. Lachungpa, confirmed today that the three French nationals had violated the wildlife rules as they did not have necessary permission from the state forest, wildlife and environment department.Various equipment, including nets and gadgets to attract butterflies, were also seized from them, Lachungpa added.
Ludivine, Mathew and Arnaud have claimed that they were students of ecology and were collecting the samples for study.
The district forest officials have forwarded the case to the chief wildlife warden at the forest secretariat here in Gangtok for further investigation. It is also being probed to see whether the specimens in their possession are rare species.
The trio could be let off lightly if the probe result is negative.
Around seven years ago, two Russians had been arrested under similar charges and subsequent investigations found that they had been collecting rare species of butterflies. They served a short sentence.
