Training Programme on Wildlife Crime

13 March, 2007

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Training Programme on Wildlife Crime

(press release from Aaranyak)

Guwahati, 13th March 2007:

A collaborative training programme on “Wildlife Crime Management” is being organized by the British Council, British High Commission and Aaranyak, a Society for Biodiversity Conservation based in Guwahati, in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and CAZS Natural Resources, University of Wales, Bangor, UK at the Indian Institute of Bank Management, Jawahar Nagar, Khanapara, Guwahati from 12-14 March 2007.

The workshop was inaugurated by the His Excellency, the Governor of Assam, Lt Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh, PVSM, AVSM yesterday at the Assam Administrative Staff College at 1030 hrs. At the inaugural function, Ms. Sujata Sen, Director-British Council, East India has elaborated British Council’s effort to partner with Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak to launch this workshop in Guwahati inviting trainees from forests, police and customs officials from the nine states of Eastern India.

In the keynote address, Mr. M.C. Malakar, the Chief Wildlife Warden of Assam has stated the need of such collaborative efforts to address issues related to organized wildlife crime and re-affirmed forest department’s commitment to conserve and protect the wildlife and wilderness in Assam inspite of diverse challenges.

Dr. Shaun Russell, an environment scientist specialising in the research and training on Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Area management from United Kingdom has lauded the collaborative efforts taking place between the forest departments and non government agencies and stressed for more capacity building efforts.

Dr. Russell mentioned that the wildlife crime and trade has currently rated as the second largest illegal trade after narcotics in the world. In his inaugural address, the hon’ble Governor of Assam has lauded the efforts taken by the British Council to partner with Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak to initiate such important workshop to provide a forum for rigorous discussion on wildlife crime. He has stated the conservation success of Kaziranga National Park for which Assam Forest Department and local people has significantly contributed to its success.

About 30 participants from forests, police and customs department from north eastern states including from West Bengal are participating. The training programme includes an overview on the illegal wildlife trade in the international context, case studies from India, environmental law in India, special sessions on the conservation of tigers, elephants and rhinos, practical sessions on evidence gathering, development of wildlife forensic science in India for controlling illegal trade, partnerships between enforcement agencies for tackling wildlife crime, an overview of the work of the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit in the UK and the UK Partnership against wildlife crime.

It is expected that this collaborative initiative of British Agencies, Assam, Forest Department and Aaranyak would assist the enforcement agencies in north eastern India to prepare an action plan that will emerge for improved wildlife crime monitoring in East India.