Lok Sabha Question No. 3015 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-06
Subject: Poaching of Animals
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO. 3015

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2019.

## Poaching of Animals

## 3015. SHRIMATI KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether  there  has  been  an  increase  in  the  number  of  incidents  of  poaching  of  various species of animals including lions in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons identified for increase in poaching;
- (c) whether 37 different species were poached or seized in 2018 and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to tackle the issue of poaching in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) &(b) As  per  information  received  from  Wildlife  Crime  Control  Bureau  based  on  the information  received  from  the  State  Forest  and  Police  Authorities,  number  of wildlife crime cases for last three years are given below:
- (c) As per information available informed by the state authorities cases involving only 20 species of wildlife has been registered as per details enclosed as Annexure A .
- (d) The major steps taken by the Government to tackle the issue of poaching in the country are as follows:
- i. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides for punishment for violation
- of  its  provisions.  The  Act  also  provides  for  forfeiture  of  any  equipment, vehicle or weapon that is used for committing wildlife offence(s).
- ii. Law  enforcement  authorities  in  the  States  maintain  strict  vigil  against poaching of wild animals.
- iii. Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has been set up to gather intelligence about poaching  and  unlawful  trade  in  wild  animals  and  animal  articles  and  to achieve  inter-state  and  trans-boundary  coordination  in  enforcement  of wildlife laws.
- iv. The State/Union Territory Governments have been requested to strengthen the field formations and intensify patrolling in and around Protected Areas.
- v. Protected Areas, viz., National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves covering important wildlife habitats have been created  all  over  the  country  under  the  provisions  of  the  Wild  Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals and their habitats.
- vi. Financial assistance is provided to the State/Union Territory Governments under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  of  'Development  of  Wildlife Habitats',  'Project  Tiger'  and  'Project  Elephant',  for  providing  better protection to wildlife including leopards and improvement of habitat.

|   S. No. |   Year |   Total no. of cases registered under wildlife protection Act |
|----------|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 |   2016 |                                                           565 |
|        2 |   2017 |                                                           342 |
|        3 |   2018 |                                                           388 |

***

## Annexure - A

| Species wise data of cases registered for the year 2018 as provided by State Police and Forest Authorities   | Species wise data of cases registered for the year 2018 as provided by State Police and Forest Authorities   | Species wise data of cases registered for the year 2018 as provided by State Police and Forest Authorities   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.                                                                                                        | Name of Species                                                                                              | No. of cases registered in 2018                                                                              |
| 1                                                                                                            | Scheduled Birds                                                                                              | 61                                                                                                           |
| 2                                                                                                            | Deer                                                                                                         | 36                                                                                                           |
| 3                                                                                                            | Elephant                                                                                                     | 27                                                                                                           |
| 4                                                                                                            | Langoor                                                                                                      | 1                                                                                                            |
| 5                                                                                                            | Leopard                                                                                                      | 81                                                                                                           |
| 6                                                                                                            | Monkey                                                                                                       | 4                                                                                                            |
| 7                                                                                                            | Mongoose                                                                                                     | 15                                                                                                           |
| 8                                                                                                            | Monitor Lizard                                                                                               | 6                                                                                                            |
| 9                                                                                                            | Otter                                                                                                        | 1                                                                                                            |
| 10                                                                                                           | Pangolin                                                                                                     | 14                                                                                                           |
| 11                                                                                                           | Peacock                                                                                                      | 7                                                                                                            |
| 12                                                                                                           | Rhino                                                                                                        | 16                                                                                                           |
| 13                                                                                                           | Sand Boa                                                                                                     | 5                                                                                                            |
| 14                                                                                                           | Sea Cucumber                                                                                                 | 2                                                                                                            |
| 15                                                                                                           | Sea Horse                                                                                                    | 5                                                                                                            |
| 16                                                                                                           | Shark Fish                                                                                                   | 3                                                                                                            |
| 17                                                                                                           | Snake                                                                                                        | 19                                                                                                           |
| 18                                                                                                           | Star Tortoise / Turtle                                                                                       | 39                                                                                                           |
| 19                                                                                                           | Tiger                                                                                                        | 42                                                                                                           |
| 20                                                                                                           | Tockay Gecko                                                                                                 | 4                                                                                                            |
|                                                                                                              | Total                                                                                                        | 388                                                                                                          |