22 jailed for killing endangered animals

A special environment court in India has dished out jail sentences to 22 people for killing endangered animals in northern India, wildlife officials said today.

In one case, 19 men were sentenced to two years in prison with hard labour for killing a rare Neelgai, or Blue buck, in 1998 in the Sirsa district, some 93 miles north east of New Delhi, a district wildlife inspector told reporters.

The were also fined 2,000 rupees (€34). If they fail to pay they would have to serve six more months.

In a second case, three snake charmers were sentenced to 1-and-a-half years of hard labour in jail for killing wild cats, the inspector said.

In addition they were fined 500 rupees (€8), or an extra six months in prison. The three were arrested with the dead bodies of the three cats in 2004, he said.

India has recently been taking a tough stance against people who violate the Wildlife Act. Earlier in the year Bollywood star Salman Khan was sentenced to five years in prison for killing a rare black buck.