The Bumthang District Court, yesterday, sentenced two men to three years and six months in prison for killing three musk deer in Wangchuck Centennial National Park’s territory last year. Both the men are aged 24 and are from Wangdue Phodrang.
The men entered the park in September last year and set about 27 traps. The poachers beat a musk deer that got trapped in one of the snares to death. Two more musk deer also died in the traps set by the men. The musk pods have been seized. The court passed only an “adequate sentence” due to mitigating factors such as the culprits’ young age and no past criminal records.
However, the men have appealed against the judgment.
Meanwhile, the District Court also sentenced two men to prison terms earlier this month for killing the endangered species in the similar territory last year. There are two more men on trial for an attempted poaching case.
Kipchu
