India to tighten wildlife protection

New Delhi plans a wildlife crime unit, under the Central Bureau of Investigation, to prevent the lucrative poaching of endangered animals

By Nirmal Ghosh
INDIA CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI - After several years of criticism for neglecting wildlife and forests, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee wrote recently to state chief ministers asking them to beef up wildlife protection.

The Indian government is firming up plans to start a wildlife crime cell, under the Central Bureau of Investigation, to prevent the poaching of endangered animals.

According to reports, the eight to 10-man cell would mainly coordinate information and intelligence on wildlife offences.

The lucrative poaching trade has claimed more than 1,000 endangered leopards, more than 50 rhinos, and more than 200 tigers over the past 18 months.

Rhinos and tigers are highly endangered; conservationists say leopards, while endangered, will very soon become as rare as tigers at the rate they are being slaughtered.

In his letter the Prime Minister said: 'In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of killing of wild animals like tiger, panther, elephant, rhino, musk deer and other species.

'Several cases of illegal export of wildlife products derived from various species have been detected from time to time. This is a matter of great concern.'

He also referred to the neglect of the forest department, saying officials needed to have greater commitment and be given more resources and state support.

'Allocations to the sector have also been grossly inadequate,' he said.

'There is also need for upgrading of skills of the staff both in respect of prevention of wildlife crime and successful prosecution of offenders,' Mr Vajpayee wrote.

In February, the country was shocked by graphic photographs of wild elephants butchered by poachers in Corbett Tiger Reserve, some 250 km north of New Delhi. The poachers are yet to be apprehended.

The main market for ivory is Japan, where it is used for making personal seals.

There is also a market in trinkets.

Illegal ivory is largely smuggled from north Africa and India via the Middle East to East Asia.

The main markets for tiger bones and other body parts - as well as those of other animals like the leopard - are in China, Taiwan, Hongkong, Korea and Japan.

Leopard skins are still popular in the West.

Tiger products have also been found in Britain, New York and Vancouver. They are thought to have unique medicinal properties, a belief which research has found to be a myth.

The trafficking route is usually overland, through Nepal and Tibet from north India.

GOVT: Under pressure

• PRIME Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has been under pressure from conservationists at home and abroad who have been criticising the lack of political support from the top for wildlife protection.
• In February, the country was shocked by graphic photographs of wild elephants butchered by poachers in Corbett Tiger Reserve.
• While poaching has risen, pressures associated with conventional development, roads, mines, and dams also pose a medium-term threat to India's forests.