The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has finally been given a slush fund for the nondescript amount of Rs 10 lakhs for gathering inputs on smugglers and poachers who have played havoc with Indian wildlife during the last decade.
Like tigers, endangered leopards too are battling for survival with as many as 160 already dead so far since this January in the country against 290 last year.
But this time it's the agile leopard that is on the radar of poachers as vigilance has tightened around the illegal trade in tiger parts across India, say wildlife experts. The leopard's skin and bones are equally in demand in the international market and wildlife conservationists say up to 500 of these big cats are killed every year for these.
Biodiveristy theft, especially the illegal trade in wildlife contraband products including tradi- tional medicines, has risen sharply in recent years.
The Indian Wildlife Crime Control Bureau worked closely with Inter- pol and wildlife agencies from across 18 countries in February to check this smuggling.
With China gearing up to mark 2010 as Year of the Golden Tiger when the demand for the animal parts and derivatives are expected to shoot up, forest reserves which are home to the big cats in India have been put on high alert against possible poaching.
THERE is little connection between an ultraviolet-ray light sourced from Australia and clumps of fish meat with bones carefully picked clean, but together the two form a perfect gift for the Capital's unusual guests -- two baby crocodiles.
Almost 400 conches worth several crores were seized from the ongoing Trade Fair on Sunday. Four people working with the Tamil Nadu and Orissa stalls were arrested in connection to the illegal trade under which the conches were being brought from the southern parts of the country to Delhi and sold for exorbitant amounts.
Coimbatore: To prevent incidents of poaching and poisoning and to save the remaining population of tigers, the Ministry of Environment and Forests proposes to bring in amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
This was stated by Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh here on Sunday.
Smuggled Over 200 Tiger Skins, 1000 Leopard Skins Abroad
New Delhi: A day after a 39-year-old man suspected to be involved in tiger poaching and supplying animal parts to buyers in western countries was arrested in a joint operation between Gurgaon police and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), the police sought a six-day remand to unearth his network, which is spread across several states.
