Along with detecting Illegal Wildlife Trade at India's borders, the Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB), is entrusted with a wide range of activities to secure the country and protect its communities.
One such commendable incident occurred earlier this month, when the 24th Batallion of SSB from Rangia and the Kumarikata Police conducted a joint operation, based on intel, to stop a human trafficking racket. The teams successfully rescued 31 individuals on a bus headed to Gujarat from Assam. The victims were from remote villages in the Indo-Bhutan border, and had been falsely lured into the situation under the promise of better work opportunities. Seven minor girls were among the victims rescued.
The rescued individuals have been safely reunited with their families and the minor girls have been sent to a Child Care home. A case has been registered against the traffickers under different sections of Indian laws.
The Counter Wildlife Trafficking program at WCS-India is privileged to engage with the SSB to tackle wildlife crime. Leading the operation from the SSB side was Inspector Alok Kumar Sharma. We thank and appreciate the 24th Battalion and the Kumarikata Police for their tremendous effort in this case. Their swift action has resulted in many lives being saved.
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In areas where humans and wildlife exist in close proximity, boundaries between forest land and human land are often blurred. When wildlife strays out of the forest and into human dwelling, it is the duty of the Forest Department Officers to ensure the animal's safe return to secure habitation.
A similar incident was reported from Karimganj, Assam. A Bengal slow loris wandered into a residential area, and was met with suspicion from the local villagers. They secured the animal, and contacted the Forest Department for further action. Mr. Jatindra Mohan Das, Range Forest Officer, took charge of the case, and rescued the primate. It was kept safely, until it was certified to be healthy enough for release. The loris was then released in a remote area where other slow lorises had been reportedly sighted.
We appreciate the work of Mr. Das in safeguarding this rapidly declining endangered species.
News Scan (June 1 -30)
Nine smugglers held in Kadapa, 1.6 tons of red sanders logs seized | 1 June 2021
Police arrested nine smugglers in Kadapa and Chittoor districts. They also seized 1.6 tons of red sanders logs. Kadapa police said the arrests and seizure were made at two different locations at T Sundupalli mandal.
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Efforts on to prevent poaching of wildlife, bird traps seized in Thoubal | 2 June 2021
The Joint Co-ordination Committee on Wildlife and Biodiversity (JCCWB) in association with Heirok police seized five bird-trapping nets, along with 11 live birds and a dead bird from Phundrei Khondabi area bordering Heirok and Khongjom.
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150 Smuggled Turtles Seized From Malkangiri Village | 3 June 2021
In a major breakthrough, Kalimela range forest officials seized over 150 alive tortoises and turtles near MPV-65 while being smuggled from Andhra Pradesh to the district. The smugglers, however, fled from the spot after getting information about forest officials’ raid.
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Police rescue slow loris, macaws and turkeys in North 24-Parganas | 4 June 2021
A police team rescued a slow loris, an endangered primate species, eight macaws and three turkeys from a village in Hasnabad in North 24-Parganas. The seized animal and the birds have been handed over to the forest department.
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Two Nepali poachers held in Dudhwa reserve | 7 June 2021
Two armed Nepalese poachers have been arrested by a patrolling team of the Dudhwa forest department in Sathiana range of the reserve, following a brief encounter.
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Four minors held for poaching egrets in Dora Beel near Guwahati | 8 June 2021
Local villagers intervened to stop poaching of protected egrets near Dora Beel in Rampur, Kamrup District. Four mini boys were apprehended and handed over to the authorities in this connection.
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Two elephants electrocuted in Odisha in two days while searching for food | 8 June 2021
A day after an elephant was found electrocuted in a mango orchard in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district, another tusker died after coming in contact with high tension wire in Ganjam district.
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Two held with tiger bones, claws, canines in Chandrapur | 8 June 2021
Two people were arrested allegedly with tiger bones, whiskers, canines and claws in Chandrapur in Maharashtra, forest department officials.
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Six-member Kerala gang held, fined Rs 60,000 for poaching wild boar in Coimbatore forests | 9 June 2021
Over 30 kg of meat was also seized from their possession. The accused, all hailing from Palakkad in the neighbouring state, had poached the boar using a snare.
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Two held for illegal trade of pangolin scales in MP | 9 June 2021
The Tiger Strike Force in Madhya Pradesh has arrested two persons in connection with the killing of pangolin, an endangered animal, and illegal trade of its scales, an official said.
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Three arrested for smuggling red sandalwood | 9 June 2021
Pune City Police have arrested three persons in connection with the smuggling of red sandalwood, which is a prohibited item for export and is also covered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) list.
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Four trying to sell sperm whale’s ambergris | 10 June 2021
A special team of east division police has seized 6.7kg of sperm whale’s ambergris and arrested four men from the city. This is probably for the first time in recent times that cops have seized ambergris in Bengaluru.
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Poacher with leopard skin held in Kandhamal | 10 June 2021
Forest officials arrested a poacher and seized a leopard skin along with its nails, bones, and other items from his possession in Sudrukumpa range under Phulbani Forest Division in Kandhamal district.
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Task force seizes 54 red sanders logs, arrests two smugglers | 11 June 2021
Task Force police seized 54 red sanders logs and arrested two smugglers in this connection at KVB Puram forest area in Tirupati.
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4.82 kg of pangolin scales seized from man in Odisha | 11 June 2021
The Special Task Force (STF) of the Crime Branch today seized pangolin scales weighing 4.82 kilograms and arrested one person in this connection.
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Deer hunted in Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar, one held | 13 June 2021
A team of the Forest Department in Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bagha district of Bihar arrested a person on the charge of poaching a deer.
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Carcass of elephant with tusks missing found in Odisha | 13 June 2021
An elephant was found dead with tusks missing in Ranibahali Revenue Forest of Kardapadar under Thuamul Rampur North Range of Kalahandi South Division.
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Two poachers arrested while selling monitor lizard meat in capital city of Odisha | 14 June 2021
Two poachers have been arrested while selling meat of monitor lizard in Laxmisagar area of Bhubaneswar. Acting on a tip off, the Forest Department officials and the Laxmisagar police conducted a joint raid at a chicken shop near Jagannath Avenue in the area.
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20-year-old nabbed for poaching deer, wild hare in Tiruvannamalai, carcasses seized | 14 June 2021
The Forest Protection Squad nabbed a 20-year-old man for poaching wild animals and seized the carcasses of a deer and two wild hare.
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Inter-state red sanders smuggler held | 15 June 2021
The Prakasam police have arrested an inter-state red sanders logs smuggler Magunta Viswanadha Reddy, who has been eluding the police since the past six years. He is wanted in 32 smuggling cases.
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Man trying to sell animal parts in city arrested | 16 June 2021
Delhi forest and wildlife department arrested a man and seized prohibited wildlife articles from his possession. The seized items include body parts of a monitor lizard and nails of an unidentified animal.
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Accused arrested for confiscating timber in Budgam | 16 June 2021
After receiving information, the Forest Department officials confiscated the illegally cut timber from the forests of Sangarwani in Pulwama district and arrested the accused in Pakherpora area of Budgam district.
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Himachal Police seizes leopard hide in Parwanoo, one arrested | 16 June 2021
One person has been arrested with a four feet eight inches long leopard hide in the Solan district. According to the reports, police received a tip that a person is involved in the illicit business of selling animals’ hides. Taking immediate action, police chalked out a plan to arrest the accused red handed.
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Customs seized about 8 kg of peacock feathers in Delhi | 17 June 2021
The Delhi Customs area said on Wednesday that around 8 kg of peacock feathers, which were being smuggled into Hong Kong, were seized from the foreign post office in New Delhi.
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Tiger killed in Kaziranga National park by mistake | 18 June 2021
A carcass of a male Royal Bengal Tiger was discovered near Japoripothar, Karuabari area of Kaziranga National Park. The incident led to an investigation and on an inquiry, it was found that the tiger died due to a bullet wound which is suspected to be a matter of accidental firing while trying to scare away the tiger from the public area.
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Six crests of ‘Himalayan monal’ recovered in Chamba, four held | 22 June 2021
The Dalhousie police in Chamba have recovered six plumes suspected to be that of threatened bird Himalayan monal and arrested four persons, including a woman.
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Man arrested with 15kg Sambar meat in Bargarh district of Odisha | 21 June 2021
One person has been arrested for selling Sambar meat in Bhatli Forest Range in Bargarh district of Odisha. Acting under a tip-off, the forest department officials formed a special team and raided a sale of Sambar meat in Lether village.
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Six arrested with two kg Ambergris in Tuticorin | 22 June 2021
Six people were arrested by the police and forest department personnel near Tiruchendur in Tuticorin district for smuggling two kg of Ambergris (whale vomit).
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Patna doctor among 4 held in big ivory haul | 23 June 2021
A team of forest officials seized 35 kilograms of ivory (tusk) from a private hospital in Patna and arrested four people, including a doctor.
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Racket trafficking Bengal monitor lizards busted in Odisha | 23 June 2021
The forest department of Odisha busted an organised trafficking racket recently and seized seven Bengal monitor lizards — five dead and two alive. The forest department and the police raided the house of a man in Tarini slum in Bhubaneswar acting on a tip-off and seized the reptiles.
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Man arrested for trying to sell sand boa in Pune | 24 June 2021
A 21-year-old man was arrested for being in possession of a sand boa snake in Bhosari area of Pimpri-Chinchwad.
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Rare snake rescued, four arrested | 25 June 2021
A red sand boa snake was rescued from four persons who were trying to sell it in the district. Forest officials said that red sand boa is a rare non-poisonous snake that is used for making certain medicines, cosmetics and in black magic, hence is in huge demand globally.
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Man arrested with 23 turtles in Gurugram | 25 June 2021
A man, who received turtles smuggled from Uttarakhand to Delhi to sell on to customers in Gurugram, has been arrested and 23 turtles seized from him.
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25 kg of sandalwood, dead monitor lizard seized; two held | 25 June 2021
Forest officials of the Bantwal range have arrested two people and seized 25 kg of sandalwood, and a dead monitor lizard.
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Rescued red panda released into wild in Arunachal | 26 June 2021
A red panda, rescued recently from a river in Shi-Yomi district of Arunachal Pradesh bordering China, was released back to its natural habitat by forest officials.
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'Poacher' nabbed near Bannerghatta National Park before he could kill animals | 26 June 2021
Intensifying vigilance around the Bannerghatta National Park, forest officials arrested a suspected poacher and recovered from him weapons and other materials used in wildlife hunting.
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Over a 100 Parakeets and Tortoises Rescued in Vadodara! | 28 June 2021
In continuation of their efforts to crack down on the illegal pet trade and wildlife trafficking in Vadodara, Gujarat, the Wildlife SOS-GSPCA (Gujarat Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has been gathering valuable intelligence through undercover informants.
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Tokay Gecko seized in Tinsukia, four held | 28 June 2021
Police arrested four people and seized one Tokay Gecko from their possession during a regular checking in upper Assam’s Tinsukia.
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Man held with internal organs of monitor lizard | 29 June 2021
The forest department in Nashik has arrested a man for allegedly possessing the internal organs of Indian Monitor Lizard and trying to sell them in the market as Hatha-Jodi.
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Sea cucumber, cardamom seized by Marine Police in TN | 29 June 2021
The police seized these items bought from Kaliyapattanam. The Sea Cucumber and Cardamom were to be stored at Devipattanam and to be transported to Sri Lanka during night in hired boats.
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MM Hills wildlife officers seize deer meat, arrest two | 30 June 2021
Forest personnel seized 6.5 kg of wild animal meat and arrested two accused in the case.
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Juvenile Black Kite rescued from Chennai suburb by Forest Department and conservationists | 30 June 2021
The Forest Department, with the help of conservationists, has rescued a juvenile black kite from the possession of an illegal trader in the city. Forest officials have detained two persons in connection with the case.
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Contact cwt@wcsindia.org
Infographic: Jessica Luis