July 15: Forestry officials have found 27 animal traps when they searched the mountain area from proper Chapcha till Shemagangkha.

The search is part of their routine exercise. Forestry officials said they carry out similar exercises at least four times a year. It took the team of forestry officials about two weeks to comb the whole area.

They said the traps were laid in secluded places and gorges away from footpaths used by travelers. They said the traps were mainly laid for musk deer - a highly endangered animal. Musk deer is poached for its musk which is used in medicine.

However, scientific studies revealed that the action of musk has a negligible therapeutic value.

The International Society of Naturalists reported that of every four deer killed only one provides the musk pod. It is reported that about 4,000 adult male deer are killed annually, due to their high demand in the international market. According to the World Wildlife Fund, a kilogram of musk fetches around 50,000 dollars in the international market.

In Bhutan, poaching is illegal. If caught, the poacher will have to pay a minimum fine of Nu. 50,000 serve one year prison sentence.

But the remote and harsh environment in which such species live makes law enforcement difficult and expensive.

Geographically, musk deer formerly existed throughout the entire Himalayan upper forest region, and was found between 2,200 and 4,300 meters, extending from Pakistan through northern India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.