Counter Wildlife Trafficking Newsletter
August 2022
In Focus
Multiple seizures involving illegal trade of exotic wildlife species were reported in August. The cases were reported from Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, and Tripura. Seized wildlife includes exotic species of primates, hornbills, and reptiles, among others.
Read full media reports on these seizures here:
Workshops
Counter Wildlife Trafficking Workshop for TN Forest officials
On the 24th and 25th of August, the Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) team of WCS-India conducted a two-day workshop in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Forest Academy (TNFA) and Tamil Nadu Forest Department (TNFD) for 47 Forest Range Officer trainees and four Forest Department officers at TNFA in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The officers were trained on topics including identification of seized wildlife, both terrestrial and marine, offences under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, legal procedure to be followed in a wildlife crime case. The workshop was well received by the trainee officers.
Workshop on Wildlife Crime Investigation and Law Enforcement for Telangana Forest Officials
A workshop on ‘Wildlife Crime Investigation and Law Enforcement' was conducted in Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary, Telangana for Forest Department Officers of Kothagudem and Warangal Circles. The training focused on building the capacity of forest officers to understand the scale of wildlife trade, impacts of wildlife trafficking, protocols to be followed during an investigation, search and seizure, powers entrusted to the forest officers under India’s wildlife protection laws, and efforts to improve conviction rate of wildlife criminals in the state. The workshop was attended by 117 officers in two batches on 26th-27th and 29th-30th August.
Illegal wildlife trade in August 2022
News Scan 1 to 31 August 2022
Big Cats
Lioness dies after touching electric fence at Gujarat farm; two held | News Drum
Farmers around the Jasadhar Forest range protect their crops from Nilgai and other wildlife using electric fences. In a recent incident, a live wire came in contact with the fence, making it deadlier. The forest department explained that a lioness came in contact with the fence and died due to an electric shock. Two have been arrested in connection to this incident under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
Read more here.
More on big cats
Leopard electrocuted by trap laid by poachers; two detained | Siasat
Tigress found dead in Nallamala, officials suspect animal trap | The New Indian Express
Two tigers poached; one in Wardha cut into 14 pieces, parts missing | Times of India
Five arrested for poaching -Royal Bengal Tiger in Kaziranga | Northeast Now
Leopard found dead with claws missing in Dhamtari | ThePrint
Birds
Wildlife SOS Seizes Barn Owl In Gujarat Raid | Wildlife SOS
The Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit, jointly with GSPCA, ran a covert operation in Kaprada village in Gujarat and seized a barn owl from two traffickers. The team launched an undercover plan which involved dummy customers, and the perpetrators were caught red-handed with the help of the forest department. The owl was handed over to the forest department and later released back into the wild.
Read more here.
Elephants
Ivory jewellery sale on Facebook busted, two held in Hyderabad | Times of India
26 pieces of ivory jewellery were seized by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and Telangana forest officials in Hyderabad. The sellers have been booked under the WLPA for possession of ivory products. The products were sold on the social media platform Facebook, and a sting operation by the WCCB helped trace down and locate the sellers.
Read more here.
More on elephants
Dead Elephant Found In Rani; Trunk, Body Parts Taken Away | Guwahati Plus
8.5 Kg Of Ivory Seized At Kattappana | Times of India
Huge success! Poacher who killed over a dozen elephants nabbed in Odisha | Sambad English
Ivory smuggling bid foiled; Two from Arunachal Pradesh held | TIME8
Two elephants electrocuted in Odisha's Keonjhar district | The New Indian Express
Wild Elephant Electrocuted By Poacher's Trap In Odisha, Second Such Death In A Week | India Times
Marine
Three nabbed for possession of Ambergris | Udayavani
The trade or possession of ambergris, a waxy substance secreted by sperm whales, is prohibited under the WLPA. In Kottodi village of the Kasaragod district in Kerala, a large amount of ambergris was seized, and three individuals were arrested.
Read more here.
More on marine
Two held with ambergris in Thane district | Mid-Day
Worli fishers surrender 5kg of ‘whale vomit’ to authorities | Hindustan Times
Pangolins
12.5 kgs of pangolin scales were seized in Uttarakhand, 5 arrested | WCCB Twitter
12.5 kgs of pangolin scales were seized by a joint team consisting of the WCCB, Special Task Force, Uttarakhand Police & SOG, and the Uttarakhand Forest Department. A two-day long operation was undertaken in Kashipur, and five were arrested in connection to the seizures.
Read more here.
More on pangolins
Five pangolin smugglers caught from Haldwani and Haridwar | Jagran
Red Sandalwood
91 red sander logs seized in Andhra Pradesh | Times of India
Following a tip-off, Forest Department officials seized 91 red sander logs near Batuva village of Andhra Pradesh. The officials searched and seized these from plantations in the village. Farmers said poachers might have cut the logs at night without anybody noticing. The logs have been transported to the forest office in the Srikakulam district.
Read more here.
More on red sanders
Bengaluru police crack 89 cases, 61 suspects arrested | Deccan Herald
Task Force intensifies combing operations in Seshachalam forests; seizes 26 RS logs | Deccan Chronicle
Forest department recovered red sandalwood worth lakh rupees | Anandabazar
Andhra Pradesh: Kadapa police arrest 15 red sanders smugglers | Times of India
Reptiles
Odisha man held with six snakes, four chameleons | The New Indian Express
A team of Forest officials raided a suspect’s house in Karanjula village and recovered six snakes, including three cobras and four chameleons. The accused also had created a YouTube channel on which he uploaded videos of him capturing reptiles illegally, violating the IT Act. YouTube has been asked to take down these videos, and the accused has been booked under various sections of the Wild Life (Protection) Act.
Read more here.
More on reptiles
Seven arrested for killing two Pythons in Medak district | Telangana Today
2 Arrested While Trying To Sell Chameleon In Bhubaneswar | Ommcom News
Tortoise and freshwater turtles
350 Turtles Rescued In Malkangiri | Ommcom News
The Forest Department raided the Mv 65 village in Odisha and recovered 20 bags full of turtles. All the 350 turtles were brought back to the Forest Office. At the time of the incident, the officials weren’t sure whether all of them were alive. Unfortunately, the accused managed to escape.
Read more here.
More on tortoise and freshwater turtles
2 women arrested in UP, 626 turtles recovered | Press Trust of India
RPF rescues 67 turtles from train in Bihar | The Print
Wildlife Smuggling in india: flyer held with 60 star tortoise at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru | Navbharat Times
Accident reveals illegal transport of turtles | Deccan Chronicle
Rhinos
Two Suspected Wildlife Smugglers Held With Rhino Horn | Pratidin Time
Acting on information received, police officials nabbed a rhino horn smuggler in Bokakhat in Assam. The police also recovered a horn hidden in his house. The smuggler has also been involved in previous rhino horn poaching incidents. Upon investigation, he also revealed the identity of another poacher who was taken into custody.
Read more here.
More on rhinos
Rhino horns smuggling racket busted, 3 held | Northeast Now
Ungulates
Bhojpur Police arrest two wildlife traffickers, rescue deer | DaijiWorld
Police officials recovered a deer from two smugglers. The accused were attempting to cross the Ganga river on a motorboat, and as soon as they reached the bank, the police overpowered them and rescued the deer from a cotton bag. The smugglers have been booked under the Wild Life (Protection) Act.
Read more here.
More on ungulates
Blackbuck skin seized by Kollegal CID Forest Mobile Squad | Bengaluru Wire
Other
Sloth Bear transported from Nepal to India rescued; three arrested | The Hindu
Clouded leopard skin recovered before smuggling to Bhutan, arrest 1 | Irshi Videos
Forest department nabs 5 persons for poaching wildlife from revenue area in Nawabandar | Divya Bhaskar
Forest officials seize illegally cut timber in Tral Forest, smugglers flee | Kashmir Reader
Wildlife smugglers seen in camera installed for tiger count in Sitarganj forest department caught two | Jagran
Man held for wildlife trafficking | Hindustan Times
Illegal timber smuggling busted; Property worth Rs 18L seized | Udayavani
Leopard, red panda skins seized from traffickers in north Bengal; three arrested | Hindustan Times
NGO detects timber smuggling in GH | Meghalaya Monitor
18 parakeets, one baby monkey kept illegally as pets seized in Vadodara | Times of India
Wildlife articles including leopard skin, skull, and wild boar tusks seized, 7 arrested | WCCB
4 Arrested For Killing 2 Indian Hares at Gir Sanctuary; Police Say Accused Killed the Animals for ‘Party’ | News18
Forest officials recover body parts of wild animals including leopard, pangolin skins in Assam's Nagaon, 4 arrested | DNA India
Ivory tusk, ambergris worth crores seized; 4 held | Free Press Journal
Illegal wildlife trade outside India
The wildlife team rescued 75 spiny-tailed lizards and 4 snakes | The PiPa News
Wildlife Dept Foils Bid To Smuggle Falcons From Punjab To D.I.Khan, Seizes 15 Birds | UrduPoint
Wildlife Deptt Foils Bid To Smuggle Gecko Lizard, Arrests 3 Poachers | UrduPoint
Precious birds smuggling attempt foiled | The Nation
Man busted after sneaking nearly 2,000 animals including baby crocodiles through airport | Daily Star
Infographics:
Exotic Wildlife Seizures in India: August 2022 by Radha Pennathur
Illegal Wildlife Trade in August 2022 by the CWT team
Check out the Counter Wildlife Trafficking programme on our website
Have queries on Illegal Wildlife Trafficking?
Contact cwt@wcsindia.org