Arrest of six wildlife poachers operating in Corbett and Rajaji National Parks

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Six poachers operating out of Uttarakhand and active in Corbett and Rajaji National Parks have been arrested by a joint operation between Police and the Uttarakhand Forest department. Leopard pelts, big cat bones, ivory and firearms have been seized. The arrests include habitual offenders and one among them admitted to supplying a tiger skin and bones of three tigers to a man in Dharchula last year. Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) points out that a poaching nexus of Gujjars … Read More

Wild India’s Grim Reapers — Interview with Belinda Wright, WPSI

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In an interview to CI, Belinda Wright, Executive Director, Wildlife Protection Society of India, talks to Prerna Singh Bindra about the growing illegal trade in wildlife.

Belinda Wright, tiger conservationist and wildlife campaigner, is the Founder and Executive Director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI). Born in Kolkata, she has spent her entire life working with wildlife in India. She was a internationally renowned wildlife photographer and Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker before turning to full time Read More

Leader of a tiger poaching gang arrested near Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve

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CHANDRAPUR: Mul police have finally nabbed the long absconding kingpin of the poachers gang busted by forest officials around one-and-half years back in Bhadrawati tehsil. Accused Shalik Gedam was picked up from Doni village in Mul tehsil and has been sent into MCR. Forest officials are likely to seek his custody after cops produce him before Bhadrawati court on Monday.

Notably, sleuths of Bhadrawati forest range had busted a poachers gang in March 2009. The first breakthrough came thanks to … Read More

Leopard Poachers Convicted to Six Years Imprisonment

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Katni, Madhya Pradesh: Shri A.A. Ansari, the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Katni, today sentenced two poachers, Ittu Baiga, Bahilal Baiga to rigorous imprisonment of six years and a fine of Rs. 10,000 each under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The third accused Iqbal (alias Atiq Ahmed), is still absconding and his trial is still pending.

On 25 June, 2009, the three poachers had poisoned a water-hole in the Dhimarkheda range of Katni division with an organo-phosphate pesticide (phosphamidan) which led to … Read More

No Two-bit Crime This

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Belinda Wright has been crunching some numbers: between 1994 and 2009, out of 691 cases of crimes against tigers filed in Indian courts, 10 cases have resulted in conviction of a total of 30 persons.

“Statistics are so important to get the bigger picture,” says the 57-year-old wildlife conservationist and executive director of Wildlife Protection Society of India or WPSI, an NGO.

Interpol estimates global illegal trade in wildlife products is worth around $20 billion. “It is significant that the

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Three leopard skins seized in Himachal Pradesh

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With the assistance of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), the HP police succeeded in seizing three leopard hides, including one of a cub, from three accused with each possessing a leopard hide from tehsil Sangrah of district Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh.

One of the accused, Mahindra Singh from village Kajwan of the area, is a Government school headmaster.… Read More

Seizure of 920 kg of antlers in Saharanpur near Dehra Dun, North India

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There was a huge seizure of deer antlers this morning in the town of Saharanpur in the State of Uttar Pradesh, north of the capital New Delhi. 

A staggering 920 kg of antlers were seized by the officers of Behat Police Station. Included in the haul were sambar, cheetal and barking deer antlers. Three people have been detained in this known collection centre for antlers. Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) is assisting the police with the investigation.

Since May

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Leopard skins and Himalayan Black Bear gall bladder seized in Uttarakhand

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New Delhi: The Anti-Poaching cell of the Uttarakhand Forest Department, assisted by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), seized 2 leopard skins, 1 leopard cat skin and 1 Himalayan black bear gall bladder from Chakrata in Dehradun district, Uttarakhand, last night.

In the late night operation, the Anti-Poaching cell led by Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Mr. Paramjit Singh, arrested two local persons in connection with this seizure. A case under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 has been registering … Read More

130 Leopards Poached in India this year (as of Sept 2010)

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Watching a leopard amble along a sun-beaten track at dusk is a captivating sight. But now these big cats are in danger in India. At least 130 leopards have been poached this year so far, say experts describing the figures as “alarming”. 

Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra recorded the highest number of leopard deaths, stated the NGO Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI).

There have been reports of 240 leopard deaths so far.

Across the country, 17 leopards were killed

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Assessment of recent elephant poaching in Simlipal Tiger Reserve

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Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) is part of one of the largest contiguous tiger and elephant habitats in the world. With a Biosphere Area of over 5,000 sq km, it is one of the most promising landscapes for tigers and their prey species.

After a number of elephant deaths were reported in April and May 2010, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) constituted an independent assessment team on 3rd June 2010. The two-team members (Biswajit Mohanty and Belinda Wright) proceeded immediately … Read More

Notorious Tiger Poacher Dariya convicted

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New Delhi: In a major victory for tiger conservation in India, notorious tiger poacher Dariya and his wife Bhagwati were convicted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 today by Justice A.K. Dwivedi, Judicial Magistrate First Class in Sihora, Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh. The trial of this case has been pending for more than 21 years. The prosecution of this case was conducted on behalf of the Forest Department by Advocate Ms Manjula Shrivastava, a lawyer of the Wildlife Protection … Read More

Tiger skin recovered from Pardhi settlement (Maharashtra)

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Amravati, Jul 27 (PTI) A hide of a tiger and country made liquor was recovered from a Pardhi settlement here today, police said. The police stumbled upon the booty when they had gone to investigate a robbery case in a Pardhi settlement at parodah in the tehsil, they said.

During search police found a 7 ft long tiger skin hanging from a wire. As police further searched the settlement, they also found 4,900 litres of country liquor in 24 drums … Read More

Team formed to look into Simlipal elephant massacre

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The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has constituted a two-member independent team for assessing the ground situation at the Simlipal tiger reserve in Orissa (Odisha), particularly against the backdrop of incidents of elephant massacre.

Two carcasses of elephants were found burnt and two others were found buried with dismantled bones. At least 12 pachyderms have been killed here in the last two months.  

The team set up by the NTCA comprises Biswajit Mohanty, Secretary, Wildlife Society of Odisha and Belinda … Read More

Assessment of Elephant Poaching in Simlipal Tiger Reserve

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After a number of elephant deaths were reported in April and May 2010, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) constituted an independent assessment team on 3rd June 2010. The two-team members (Biswajit Mohanty and Belinda Wright) proceeded immediately to Simlipal to visit the Tiger Reserve from 6 to 11 June 2010 and compiled the attached report. … Read More

Twelve Tiger poachers convicted

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Allahabad: In a landmark judgment, Additional District Judge Hon. Satyanarayan Agnihotri convicted 12 tiger poachers under the Wildlife Protection Act in an Allahabad court today. The poachers, who belong to Katni in Madhya Pradesh, have been sentenced to 3 years rigorous imprisonment and have been fined a sum of rupees 10,000. Ten of the twelve convicted were women.… Read More