Counter Wildlife Trafficking Newsletter
November - December 2022
In Focus
13 seizure incidents involving illegal trade in exotic wildlife were reported from India between November and December 2022. Recovered animals included non-native and exotic primates such as the white-lipped Tamarin and Panamanian white-faced Capuchin, snakes such as the Kenyan sand boa and corn snake, reptiles such as iguanas and tegu lizards, tarantulas, and parrots.
Access the media reports here:
- BSF rescues 221 wild birds being smuggled from Bangladesh from the clutches of smugglers | Jagran
- Snake: Woman arrested in train with snakes, spiders & chameleons worth Rs 50 cr | The Economic Times
- Assam: Police recover 7 endangered species of monkey in Hailakandi, 1 held - Assam: Police recover 7 endangered species of monkey in Hailakandi, 1 held | India Today NE
- Wildlife smugglers - Directorate of Revenue Intelligence rescue seven rare monkeys from outskirts of Siliguri | Telegraph India
- Four exotic animals found in air passenger's luggage at Chennai airport | WebIndia123
- Exotic reptiles worth over Rs 1 lakh rescued; one arrested | ifp
- Marmosets, sugar gliders, tegu lizards seized at Chennai International Airport | Times of India
- Exotic Animals Caught At Airport In Chennai Animal Smuggling Sakshi Tv Sakshitv | News Now
- Kanhmun Police Station team recovered and seized one exotic animal. | Mizoram Police
- Several exotic animals viz. Iguanas, Corn Snake, Bearded Drogon, Kenyan Sand Boa, Tarantula, Scorpions, Albino Python, and live Tortoise | WCCB India on Instagram
- Mizoram | Crackdown on smuggling of exotic animals: 2 Colobus monkeys & crocodile rescued in Kolasib | NE Now
- Two air passengers smuggle 66 rare species from Thailand to Chennai, arrested | DT next
- Exotic species seized at Chennai airport; customs, police commence probe | Nagaland Post
Brief description of the Howrah workshop
WCS-India organized a two-day workshop on wildlife crime detection, investigation, and law enforcement in collaboration with the Department of Forest, West Bengal, on 23rd and 24th November 2022. The workshop was attended by 26 frontline staff of the forest department. The workshop included sessions on Introduction to Illegal Wildlife Trade, Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Species Identification, and Search and Seizure Procedure.
Brief description of the Durgapur workshop
On December 14-15, 2022, WCS-India in collaboration with the Department of Forest, West Bengal, conducted a two-day hands-on workshop for 32 frontline officers from Durgapur Division. The workshop included sessions focussed on Introduction to Illegal Wildlife Trade, Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Species Identification, and Search and Seizure Procedure.
Kamlang Wilderness FirstAid Training
A two-day hands-on workshop was organized by WCS-India in collaboration with Kamlang Tiger Reserve (KTR) on the 15th and 16th of December. The aim of the workshop was to strengthen the capacity of officers on ‘Wilderness First Aid’ along with the key provisions related to the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 and snake handling.
Illegal wildlife trade in November 2022
Illegal wildlife trade in December 2022
Big Cats
Body parts of tiger seized by forest dept | Times of India
After getting a tip off about the smuggling of tiger parts, the Nagpur and Bhandara forest departments led a joint operation and seized 15 tiger nails, 3 canines, 10 pairs of teeth, and bones weighing approximately 5 kgs and arrested two. The forest officials went undercover and posed as buyers and caught them red handed.
Read more here.
More on big cats
Elephants
Press Trust of India: Five held in Jharkhand with elephant ivory | PTI news
Five people were arrested in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district after 10 pieces of elephant ivory were recovered from them. Acting on inputs provided by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, forest officials and the district police conducted a raid and made the recovery.
Read more here.
More on elephants
Marine
Four arrested with 10 kg of ambergris | Kerala Kaumudi Online
The police seized 10 kg of ambergris (whale vomit) from a car while conducting a vehicle inspection in Karavalur. The ambergris was seized while it was being transported from Tamil Nadu to Punalur for sale. After sending a sample of whale vomit for testing, the accused were produced in court and remanded.
Read more here.
More on marine
Birds
800 live munia birds were rescued from the clutches of poachers | Nagpur Oranges
Nagpur forest officials have arrested three poachers and also seized 800 live Muniya birds being smuggled for consumption. Based on a tip-off, a trap was laid to catch the accused. When winter sets in, poachers become active and set out to trap birds to sell the meat.
Read more here.
More on birds
Pangolins
Odisha STF Arrests Wildlife Smuggler; Rescues Rare Pangolin | Odisha Bytes
The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha’s Crime Branch arrested a wildlife smuggler and rescued a rare pangolin from his possession. Acting on a tip-off, a team of STF conducted a raid and recovered one living pangolin and other incriminating materials.
Read more here.
More on pangolins
Rhinos
Notorious rhino poacher caught after one year search in Assam | Times Now
One of the major criminals behind the January 2022 rhino poaching case at the KNP, was apprehended by Darrang District Police on Thursday after an almost year-long manhunt. One rifle suspected of being used in a crime was also recovered.
Read more here.
Tortoise and Freshwater Turtles
Indore: 14 Indian-origin tortoises rescued, two arrested | Free Press Journal
In a joint operation with a Forest Department team, Crime Branch officials rescued 14 protected tortoises and arrested two wildlife smugglers in Indore. The two criminals were caught smuggling 14 Indian-origin tortoises that are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Read more here.
More on Tortoise and Freshwater Turtles
Ungulates
Satara Forest Dept Nabs 3 For Hunting Barking Deer & Four-horned Antelope | Times of India
The forest department in Satara arrested three people on the charges of poaching. During a raid, fresh meat of a barking deer and a four-horned antelope was found in their possession.
Read more here.
More on ungulates
Reptiles
Rare Tokay Gecko Lizard Seized In Bihar, 5 Arrested: Police | NDTV
A rare tokay gecko lizard and intoxicating cough syrups were seized from a medical store in Bihar's Purnea district. Acting on a tip-off, the store in Baisi division was raided and the items were seized. Although the owner of the shop managed to flee, an alleged smuggler and his four associates were arrested in the case.
Read more here.
More on reptiles
Red sandalwood
Tirupati police seize over 2 tonnes of red sanders logs, arrest 44 | Times of India
Tirupati urban police wing seized 81 red sanders logs weighing a little over 2.6 tonnes and arrested As many as 44 wood cutters and smugglers. Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted vehicle checks along and when they spotted a car followed by two trucks approaching them, they tried to stop the vehicles. However, the passengers of the car tried to speed away from the spot in a bid to escape from vehicle check.
Read more here.
More on red sandalwood
Other
- Sloth bear electrocuted in Melghat, 1 held | Times of India
- Police seizes illicit timber in Budgam, accused arrested | Kashmir Reader
- Two held with deer antlers, monitor lizard’s genitals in Jammu | Rising kashmir
- Two jumbos killed in Keonjhar; leopard in Athmallik | The New Indian Express
- Nowshera Forest Division seizes Vehicle carrying Khair Billets | The Earth News Network
- Video clip of dog hunting rabbit goes viral: Forest Dept books case against three persons | The Hindu
- Latest Crime News | नवापूरला वन विभागाने ट्रॅक्टरसह पकडला लाकूडसाठा | Sakal
- Why pangolin is being smuggled so much know what is price in international market up hindi news पैंगोलिन की क्यों हो रही इतनी तस्करी पता है इंटरनेशनल मार्केट में क्या है कीमत | Navbharat Times
- The central flying squad led by Shri Ranjit Konwar, WPO, UAC raided at illegal timber market at Simlitola, Dhupdhora and seized about 50 cubic meters of timber. One of the biggest timber hauls ever caught in recent times | Assam Forest Department on Twitter
- 5 persons arrested in Forest staff attack in Karanjia | Kalingatv
- Assam: Forest department rescues three civet cats in Nagaon district - Assam: Forest department rescues three civet cats in Nagaon district | India today NE
- Man wanted in ivory smuggling case held in TN | Times of India
- Two black bears rescued by wildlife officials in Kashmir's Pulwama | India Today
- Maharashtra: 2 killed in tiger attacks in Chandrapur, 49 deaths in man-animal conflicts this year | Zee News
- Press Trust of India: Six farmers injured in leopard attack in UP | PTI news
- Multiple signs of poaching show all is not well in Odisha’s reserves | Hindustan Times
- Human-animal conflicts: Journey towards unified rights | Daily Pioneer
- Latest Crime News | मांडूळ बाळगणाऱ्याला अटक; वनविभागाच्या कारवाईत 2 मांडुळ जप्त | Sakal
- खरगोश और 180 तीतर बरामद, वन विभाग को किया सुपुर्द | Police caught 2 people carrying wildlife and handed them over to the forest department, recovered 180 pheasants and a rabbit from the accused | Money Bhaskar
- धुळे : अवैध लाकूड वाहतुकीवर पिंपळनेर वनविभागाची कारवाई | पुढारी | Pudhari
- চোরাই শালকাঠ উদ্ধার হলদিবাড়িতে | Uttarbanga Sambad
- Wildlife Criminal Arrested With Leopard Skin In Khordha | Pragativadi
- नर्मदा काठावरून सव्वालाखाचे सागवान लाकूड जप्त; धडगाव वन विभागाची कारवाई | Saamtv
- 3 arrested for selling banned wildlife parts, Bijnore raid | PKB news
- Assam: Illegal timber worth Rs 20 lakh seized in Dhubri - Assam: Illegal timber worth Rs 20 lakh seized in Dhubri | India today NE
- Pune: Man Arrested For Demanding Money For Catching Wild Animals | Punekar News
- ‘Vulnerable’ otter roaming Dadar East dies after rescue | Hindustan Times
- Joint team of @WCCBHQ and #AssamForest Department seized 03 #Elephant #ivory pieces (weighing 08 kg approx.) & 02 #TigerCanines and arrested 04 persons from #Guwahati | Wildlife Crime Control Bureau on Twitter
- In the last one day, - A team of forest officials of Mangaldai Beat Office apprehended a Bolero pick-up vehicle loaded with Non Sal Timber from the BTAD. The driver fled from the spot leaving the vehicle | North Kamrup Forest Division (T) on Twitter
- Endangered white Himalayan porcupines seized in West Bengal | Tripuraindia
- Man held in Deesa with organs of 34 wild animals | Times of India
- A joint operation conducted by @wccbhq and Maharashtra Forest Department, resulted in seizure of several live wild animals viz. 9 Spotted | WCCB India on Instagram
- Former Minister’s farmhouse at Davangere raided, wild animals rescued | The Hindu
- Gujarat: Two held with rhino horns, ivory items in Vadodara | ThePrint
- Our #Kasol foresters night-patrolling on #NewYear night - chased & apprehended a vehicle illegally smuggling 44 Deodar sleepers, arrests are being made. Sadly, #trees continue to be simply economic commodities meant for 'exploitation' for many out there | Aishwarya Raj , IFS on Twitter
- Barmatic wood worth rs50-lakh seized, 2 arrested | Uttarbanga Sambad
Illegal wildlife trade outside India