Lok Sabha Question No. 332 (STARRED), answered on 2015-12-22
Subject: Poaching of Star Tortoise
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: GOKARAJU GANGA RAJU, FEROZE VARUN GANDHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *332

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.12.2015

## Poaching of Star Tortoise

## *332.  DR. GOKARAJU GANGA RAJU: SHRI FEROZE VARUN GANDHI:

Will the Minster of ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of different species of tortoise found in the country;
- (b) whether the survival of the Indian star tortoise is under threat on account of a number of factors including legal loopholes thereby facilitating poaching of the said species;
- (c) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons  therefor  and  the  reaction  of  the Government thereto;
- (d) whether a study report published by World  Animal  Protection has expressed legitimate concern about poachers having found a legal loophole in facilitating illegal poaching; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with the measures taken by the Government to save the tortoises from extinction and plug the legal loopholes?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a), (b), (c),(d) and (e)   A statement is laid on the Table of the House

***

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a), (b), (c), (d) AND (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.* 332 REGARDING 'POACHING OF STAR TORTOISE' BY DR. GOKARAJU GANGA RAJU AND SHRI. FEROZE VARUN GANDHI FOR REPLY ON 22.12.2015:

- (a) There are 33 species of turtles, tortoises and terrapins in the country. This includes four species of tortoises, 24 species of fresh water turtles/terrapins, and five species of marine turtles.
- (b)and (c) Poaching and illegal trade of  Indian Star Tortoise can not be ruled out. However, such poaching and illegal trade can not be attributed to legal loopholes.  The most important threat for India's tortoises including the Indian  Star  Tortoise  is  the  clandestine  trade  that  exist  significantly  in different parts of the country and across the border to South East Asian countries.  In  order  to  protect  these  species,  Government  of  India  has listed all tortoises of familyTestudinidae and Tryonychidae, in Schedule-I  and  IV  of  the  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act,  1972  protecting them from hunting. Star Tortoises comes in this category. Hunting of all the species listed in the schedules of the Act is an offence.
- (d) and (e) The  report  published  by  the  World  Animal  Protection  has  clearly mentioned  that  the  government  of  India's  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act, 1972 prohibits both trade and private ownership of Indian Sea Tortoises. However,  legal  domestic  trade  in  other  Asian  countries  appears  to  be undermining India's efforts to protect this species. Therefore, the study recommends more stringent government machinery for protection of the species.  The  important  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  protect  these species include:
- (i) The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has established the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau for the purpose of Collection, collation and dissemination of intelligence on wildlife crime to various agencies for apprehension of criminals.
- (ii) The important steps taken by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to combat illegal wildlife trade  include:
- (a) Coordinating  inter-agency  enforcement  efforts  to  combat  illegal wildlife trade.
- (b) Issuing 'Alerts' regarding illegal trade in wildlife and its parts and products, including those in turtles and tortoises, to the State and Central Police and other enforcement agencies like Border Security  Force,  Coast  Guard,  CISF,  Customs,  ITBP,  SSB  etc. These 'Alerts' also include identification descriptions, photographs,  legal  protection,  modus  operandi  of  hunting  and trade,  illegal  trade  routes  and  destination,  etc.  so  as  to  enable enforcement agencies to control illegal trade in such species.
- (c) Undertaking joint  operations  with  state  enforcement  agencies  to apprehend criminals involved in illegal activities.
- (d) Developing  an  online  wildlife  crime  management  system  for uploading the wildlife crime data through its web portal.
- (e) Collating criminal profiles of 723 wildlife criminals involved in the  illegal  activities  for  the  information  of  field  enforcement agencies.

(iii) Several zoological parks in the country have been breeding some of  these  species  in  the  captivity.  Five  priority  chelonian  areas  in  India have  been  identified:  The  Chambal  River  and  Upper  Ganges  River System  (  central  India);  the  Terai  Region  (  northern  India);  Assam  ( north-eastern  India);  the  Sunderbans  of  West  Bengal  and  the  State  of Orissa  (  eastern  India);  and  the  Western  Ghats  and  the  states  of  Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh ( southern India).

(iv) Protected Areas, viz., National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and 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