Wildlife Work Shop by the forest department and WCCB (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau) for better wildlife protection and conservation

Forest department and WCCB (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau) to conduct workshop with NGOs for better wildlife management

Author: Pawan Sharma, RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare)

12/6/2014

In my latest meet (on 11/6/2014) with Suresh Thorat the APCCF (Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests), wildlife Mumbai and  M. Maranko, Regional Deputy Director (in charge) of the WCCB (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau) there was a two hour healthy interaction and discussion after which it was decided that the wildlife workshop which was being planned since March but postponed due to elections will be conducted this month end with an intention for better management of the city wildlife with NGOs.

There are several NGOs and individuals who are active in wildlife rescue, rehab and release activities in many suburbs of Mumbai and Thane. But the matter of concern is the ethics and protocols which are important to be followed but unfortunately are ignored and not known by many. The intention of the workshop is to make the wildlife rescuers understand some important rules and regulations that are laid down by the law of the country. As all native wildkinds are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, and thus are the property of the state, it is important that the concerned departments under the MoEF (Ministry of Environment and Forests) are aware about the happenings with the wildlife.

"As all the government and non government individuals and organizations are working for the protection and conservation of wildlife, things will be more effective and beneficial for our wildlife, forest and environment if we all work hand in hand by maintaining transparency and following all the protocols.

The coming workshop will be addressing issues like wildlife rescue protocols, wildlife crime, co-ordination between the government and non government organizations followed by a general group discussions where the attendees will be allowed to share and express their problems while working for wildlife and the forest department and WCCB will provide and introduce necessary solutions" said Suresh Thorat, APCCF (Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests)  wildlife Mumbai.

The workshop will be a joint initiative of the forest department and WCCB for the wildlife rescuing organizations in the city so that wildlife management becomes easier and better. The information and awareness from this workshop will help in deleting some of the detected problems in the field of wildlife rescue, rehab and release. The issue of wildlife crime and ways to help in its control will also be discussed in great details so that the organizations and active citizens be a participant in wildlife protection.

"Wildlife crime includes illegal custody, hunting and poaching of wildlife or its products/articles. All these activities are not allowed by the law of the country and a control over such activities is very important part of wildlife conservation. We will be sharing and spreading information and awareness on this issue to the attendees" said M. Maranko, Regional Deputy Director (in charge) of the WCCB (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (Western Region) who will be highlighting on wildlife crime and the issues surrounding it.

Thane SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is one of the leading organizations which has been actively into wildlife rescue. TSPCA has many times extended support to the forest department with rescue, treatment, rehab and release of wildlife, many rescued and injured wildlife are treated at the hospital and later released back to wild. All the work done by TSPCA is approved by the forest department as the ideal way of rescuing wildlife legally as per the minutes of meeting which was conducted in March this year.

"A wildlife rescue is complete only when all the legal formalities are followed and performed from time to time which involves things like intimating the forest department and maintaining its paperwork, attestation of the paperwork by the concerned wildlife officer, release of species in presence of the concerned forest officials. The intention of the workshop is to motivate legal and transparent wildlife rescue activities, we will be sharing all the procedure we follow with each wildlife rescue as it has been approved by the forest department thus making it available for all the attendees so that it will help them in conducting ethical and legal wildlife rescues in future" said Shakuntala Majumdar, President of TSPCA Who will be addressing the topic of wildlife rescue and protocols to be followed while performing it.

Registered organizations which work for wildlife  will be attending the workshop along with the forest department and WCCB officials. Important numbers of the forest officials will also be shared in this meet which is scheduled in the month end at SGNP (Sanjay Gandhi National Park).

Some other important topics like the short of space for rescued wildlife and the need of space for them will also be discussed in details. Wildlife rescuing organizations face many problems when they require the support of police in case of wildlife distress or any illegal wildlife act, as many times the cops do not know what role are they supposed to play. The forest department and WCCB is also planning for a governmental workshop for the cops where they will be made aware of the duties they are supposed to perform and powers that they are enforced with during wildlife distress or illegal cases being reported.

Such kind of support and motivation from the forest department towards young organizations like ours is setting a very positive example in the society. It was initially assumed that government and non government organizations can not fit in the same room but we are proud to be participant and contributor in the evolution of the changing trends.