(June 10, 2022) WCS-India collaborated with the Mangrove Foundation to conduct an inter-agency workshop from 1st - 2nd June 2022 at the Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Centre, Mumbai. The two-day workshop aimed to strengthen the capacity of frontline officers to combat the illegal trade of marine wildlife in India. The workshop content was designed and executed as a partnership between the Counter Wildlife Trafficking and Marine Programme of WCS-India.  The first day comprised an inter-agency worksh...

READ THE STORY

(June 03, 2022) Protecting the critical Chambal landscape, one of last viable habitats for red-crowned roofed turtle © Mongabay The Chambal landscape is an important habitat for freshwater turtles. There are eight species of turtles found here of which the red-crowned roofed turtle is critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Chambal turtles use the sandy riverbank for nesting. Illegal sand mining is one of the major threats for them.  Read ...

READ THE STORY

(May 27, 2022) IIT Madras, Harvard University researchers develop algorithm to save wildlife from poaching Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Harvard University Researchers have developed a novel Machine Learning (ML) algorithm named ‘CombSGPO’ (Combined Security Game Policy Optimization) that can help in saving wildlife from poaching. Read more   Tiger-centric conservation efforts push other predators to the fringes Nepal and India have made huge strides in boosting th...

READ THE STORY

(May 19, 2022) Counter Wildlife Trafficking Newsletter April 2022 Wildlife trade trivia   Illegal wildlife trade in April 2022   News scan (1 to 30 April 2022)   Big cats 3 leopard skins recovered from house, man arrested | The Tribune A man, Sanjeev Kumar, resident of Prem Vihar on Tibba Road, Ludhiana, has been arrested for allegedly smuggling leopard skins. Read more More on big cats Berhampur: Record haul of illegal wild...

READ THE STORY

(May 06, 2022) Here’s this week’s Conservation Bulletin. We curate media, popular and science articles that celebrate successful conservation stories, address some of the most pressing issues facing conservation today and discuss possible solutions among other things. We hope you enjoy reading and learning from the following stories just as we do. 1. Three carnivorous species – leopards, wolves and hyenas – have been found sharing space with human beings in the semi-arid areas of Pun...

READ THE STORY

(April 29, 2022) Here’s our new blog that brings you some intriguing, stimulating and significant stories related to wildlife and wild places.   Science   ‘Forest officials rescued three kangaroos from forests in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, on April 1 and 2. Locals also found the carcass of another one nearby. The rescued kangaroos were injured, and a probe is on to find out more details, a forest official said. Exotic species might harbour diseases against which local animals and bird...

READ THE STORY

(April 12, 2022) Counter Wildlife Trafficking Newsletter March 2022   Wildlife Trade Trivia     Illegal Wildlife Trade in March 2022        In Focus   Hunting may have increased during the COVID lockdown We may have hunted more wildlife during the pandemic-induced lockdowns of 2020, according to a survey. Hunting for household consumption increased during this time; sports and recreation were motivators for hunting as we...

READ THE STORY

(April 05, 2022) Our Livelihood Programme facilitates people from local communities who voluntarily relocate from protected areas to build a fulfilling life and realise their dreams. This has been made possible by the generous support of the SBI Foundation. Our team engages with the communities after they voluntarily relocate and aid them in learning various life skills they are passionate about. Following are two stories of two such families who have dedicated themselves to farming and beekeeping after moving o...

READ THE STORY

(March 30, 2022) On the occasion of Earth Hour on 26 March 2022, the Forest Department from the Thane Territorial Division, Maharashtra state, felicitated dedicated volunteers and NGOs that have been helping the department in forest management and wildlife conservation. The programme was arranged in the presence of Shri. Sunil Limaye, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests; Shri. Clement Ben, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests; Shri Ramarao, Chief Conservator of Forests; and Shri Mallikarju...

READ THE STORY

(March 15, 2022) Counter Wildlife Trafficking Newsletter February 2022   Illegal wildlife trade in February 2022     In Focus   Wildlife crime & camera trapping training | The Morung Express From 19th-21st February, 2022, WCS-India trained 32 Forest Guards and Foresters from Intanki National Park, Nagaland on ‘Wildlife Crime Prevention, Detection and Investigation’. Topics covered included ‘Offenses under Wild Life (Protection) Act, ...

READ THE STORY