THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Trade in species of protected animals such as barn owl, red sand boa and Indian star tortoise and wildlife products in various parts of the State have received much media attention in recent months. However, the Forest Department lacks a clear strategy and leadership in tackling poaching and trade in wild species.
Though the number of Chief Conservators of Forests has crossed 40, much of the investigation into the crimes is done by lower-level officials. They often find it beyond their means to tackle crimes that have international dimensions. Experience has shown that wildlife crimes cannot be tackled at the range level, as gangs operate across the State and inter-State boundaries.
The void is being filled by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and non-governmental organisations such as Wildlife Trust of India and the Wildlife Protection Society of India. They employ undercover agents with good financial backing, and some of their methods have come in for criticism from State forest officials. (The laws allow the NGOs to work for wildlife-crime control).
The officials allege that they promise to purchase wildlife products and even offer advance for purchases to trap the sellers. This creates artificial demand for such goods and acts as an incentive for poachers to go hunting. There are reports that some of the recent capture of poachers were the result of traps laid by non-governmental organisations.
P.S. Easa, member of the Steering Committee of Project Elephant and former Conservation Director of Wildlife Trust of India, notes that persuading poachers to go hunting for wild animals was a bad thing to do. “They (undercover agents) may be doing so in their enthusiasm to show results to the funding agency. This called for proper monitoring.”
An undercover agent maintained that senior forest officials criticised the NGOs because they were not aware of the ground realities. “The lower-level officials criticise us because we are detecting crimes in areas under their jurisdiction.”
He added that it was virtually impossible to catch a poacher with incriminating material without setting a trap. A trap is set when they learn that some wildlife product is available for sale. Even if poaching takes place on account of the demand created by them, it leads to imprisonment of active poachers for years. This will eventually reduce the crime rate.
Of an estimated $20 billion international trade in wildlife and wildlife products annually, about 30 per cent is illegal. Skins, bones, skulls, fat and claws of tiger are in demand from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea and Russia. Poaching of elephants has increased in Kerala recently following a spurt in ivory prices. A market for ivory existed for long in Thiruvananthapuram with international links. Barter trade of ivory and sandalwood for items like Shahtoosh shawl is not uncommon.
Now even smaller animals such as monitor lizards, snakes, owls and butterflies have come under increased risk in the State. However, no efficient enforcement machinery supervised by senior officials at the State level exists in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
