Increasing cases of poaching of endangered species and illegal trade in their body parts today led the National Wildlife Board to give a final go-ahead for the creation of a National Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (NWCCB) on lines of the National Narcotics Bureau.

While crime is a state subject, the gravity of threat to wildlife in the country and illegal trade of skin and other body parts through borders necessitated the creation of such an authority at the national level. Increasing deforestation and encroachment on forestland in the past two years has also resulted in a decline of 26 per cent in tiger's habitation in the country's 28 tiger reserves.

The bureau will also evolve a national policy for checking the illegal trade in animal products and probe wildlife crimes in a professional manner.

The National Wildlife Board, led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also agreed for providing legal powers under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 to Army Commanders for containing poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and their derivatives in border areas under their charge.

Other major decisions that were arrived at its third meeting held today included the conservation of important wetlands, a status report of peacocks and the National Tiger Conservation Authority.