22ndnd EXPERT GROUP EXPERT GROUP MEETING OF SAWEN MEETING OF SAWEN

Country Presentation – IndiaCountry Presentation – India

29 January, 201129 January, 2011

Paro, BhutanParo, Bhutan

Protected AreasProtected Areas

PA: 4.8% of country’s PA: 4.8% of country’s geographical areageographical area

NP: 99NP: 99 WLS: 515WLS: 515 Con. Res.: 43Con. Res.: 43 Comm. Res.: 4Comm. Res.: 4 TOTAL : 661TOTAL : 661 TR : 39TR : 39 ER : 26ER : 26

Protected Area Coverage Protected Area Coverage 2.4% of the total area of the world 8% species of the world Around 5% of the country’s area has been brought under

the Protected Area (PA) network Consist of 99 National Parks and 515 Wildlife Sanctuaries

Conservation Reserve 43, Community Reserve 4Total PAs = 661TR = 39ER = 26Based on the conventional isolationist approach

Central India

WesternGhats

ShivalikTerai

EasternGhats

North-East

Tiger Occupied Landscape Complexes

Sunderbans

Tiger Occupancy in about 95,000 km2 , Potential Habitat of about 300,000 km2.

Tiger number range between 1165 to 1657

Protection/Enforcement Protection/Enforcement framework in Indiaframework in India

Federal governance: Centre and Federal governance: Centre and State have specific rolesState have specific roles

Habitat-land, water etc State subject, Habitat-land, water etc State subject, wildlife government propertywildlife government property

Protection/Enforcement Protection/Enforcement framework in India: contd.framework in India: contd.

Day to day management of PA s and Day to day management of PA s and execution of Acts – by State execution of Acts – by State GovernmentsGovernments

Wildlife(Protection) Act, 1972-Wildlife(Protection) Act, 1972-umbrella legal frame work for umbrella legal frame work for uniform level of protection/ uniform level of protection/ enforcement across the countryenforcement across the country

Contd.Contd. A multi-disciplinary WCCB A multi-disciplinary WCCB

constituted on 5.6.2007constituted on 5.6.2007 Intelligence-organized crime-Intelligence-organized crime-

disseminate-creation and maintenance disseminate-creation and maintenance of centralized wildlife crime databankof centralized wildlife crime databank

co-ordination with various enforcement co-ordination with various enforcement agenciesagencies

infrastructure & capacity buildinginfrastructure & capacity building scientific and professional investigationscientific and professional investigation

National and Regional National and Regional IssuesIssues

Mega-BiodiversityMega-Biodiversity

Large number of species under Large number of species under threat from poaching & illegal threat from poaching & illegal trade i.e. Tiger and other big trade i.e. Tiger and other big cats, Rhinoceros, Star Tortoises, cats, Rhinoceros, Star Tortoises, PangolinPangolin

National and Regional National and Regional Issues: contd.Issues: contd.

Outside market driven poachingOutside market driven poaching

Plants like Red Sanders, Cycas, Plants like Red Sanders, Cycas, Saussurea, Orchids are under great Saussurea, Orchids are under great threatthreat

Shells and CoralsShells and Corals

Tiger Mortality-dataYear Natural Poaching Total

1999 9 24 33

2000 1 9 10

2001 8 36 44

2002 23 36 59

2003 24 20 44

2004 17 5 22

2005 17 0 17

2006 17 5 22

2007 20 10 30

2008 22 9 31

2009 49 17 66

2010 27 23 (14 outside TR) 50

Contd.Contd.

Despite pressure on natural Despite pressure on natural resources including wildlife, we have:resources including wildlife, we have: World’s more than 50% wild tiger World’s more than 50% wild tiger

populationpopulation Only country having Asiatic LionOnly country having Asiatic Lion Largest population of one horned Rhino Largest population of one horned Rhino

and Asiatic elephantsand Asiatic elephants

Indian Star Tortoise (Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegansGeochelone elegans))

Pangolin Pangolin

Trade in WildlifeTrade in Wildlife

Hunting of all wildlife prohibited Hunting of all wildlife prohibited

All trade in scheduled All trade in scheduled animals/animal articles prohibitedanimals/animal articles prohibited

Endangered plants protected , Endangered plants protected , Collection from wild prohibited, Collection from wild prohibited, cultivation, possession etc cultivation, possession etc regulatedregulated

Key Agencies Involved in the Key Agencies Involved in the EnforcementEnforcement

Central AgenciesCentral Agencies

State Level AgenciesState Level Agencies

NGOs: WWF, TRAFFIC, WPSI, NGOs: WWF, TRAFFIC, WPSI, WTI etc. WTI etc.

Trade in WildlifeTrade in Wildlife Foreign Trade Policy governing Foreign Trade Policy governing

trade in flora & faunatrade in flora & fauna Provisions of CITES incorporated Provisions of CITES incorporated

into FTP and violations are dealt into FTP and violations are dealt under Customs Act, 1962.under Customs Act, 1962.

Exim trade in wildlife prohibited Exim trade in wildlife prohibited except Special purposes except Special purposes (Research, Zoos etc) under (Research, Zoos etc) under licenselicense

SuccessesSuccesses Creation of WCCB; A multi-Creation of WCCB; A multi-

disciplinary agencydisciplinary agency

Launching of “tigernet” ; a web Launching of “tigernet” ; a web enabled reporting system for tiger & enabled reporting system for tiger & other wildlife mortality (in other wildlife mortality (in association with TRAFFIC India)association with TRAFFIC India)

Creation of STPF in 13 Tiger Creation of STPF in 13 Tiger ReservesReserves

Launching of “M-STrIPES” in selected Launching of “M-STrIPES” in selected Tiger ReserevesTiger Resereves

Successes: contd.Successes: contd. Guidelines for preparation of reserve Guidelines for preparation of reserve

specific Security Plan issuedspecific Security Plan issued

Busting of inter-state organized gangsBusting of inter-state organized gangs

Capacity building of field agencies Capacity building of field agencies (Exit points/ State Forest, Police, (Exit points/ State Forest, Police, Judiciary) on Wildlife Laws, Judiciary) on Wildlife Laws, investigation & forensicinvestigation & forensic

Collation, analysis and dissemination Collation, analysis and dissemination of the patterns based on available of the patterns based on available crime -criminal history crime -criminal history

“e-Eye” to Combat Poaching Using “e-Eye”: Information Technology

based surveillance on 24x7 basis, as a pilot project, in one of tiger reserve.

Thermo sensitive, infrared intelligent cameras, wi-fi internet and satellite technology

This data has the real-time feed from all the remote locations.

Each of the locations can be controlled from the central server station and also by the authorized user.

Can survey and zoom in on any living object (>20 kg) within a radius of 10 km in real time.

Software based identification of images and appropriate alarm systems.

System Design

Remote IR Eye

Wi-Fi Core Area

Remote IR Eye

Remote IR Eye

Remote IR Eye

Long Range Remote Eye

Long Range Remote Eye

Long Range Remote Eye

1 01 0 1 1 01 0 1 11 11

Remote Sub-Station

Central Control Room

Internet CloudWeb-Browser Controls Remote Eyes

Delhi Kolkata

Bilaspur

Data Analysis and Pattern Identification

Recent Milestone AchievementRecent Milestone Achievement

Arrest of Narayan by CWLW Arrest of Narayan by CWLW Rajasthan & Sariska teamRajasthan & Sariska team

Brother of Sansar Chand Brother of Sansar Chand Wanted in several statesWanted in several states At Guwahati airport seizure At Guwahati airport seizure

of tiger/leopard bones.of tiger/leopard bones. At Dhaka airport seizure of At Dhaka airport seizure of

Green Munias, Jungle Maina Green Munias, Jungle Maina & Star Tortoise.& Star Tortoise.

Itemwise Sanction ( %) CSS-PT(2008-09)(Excluding Village Relocation)

Staff amenities4.0%

Human Resource Development

1.2%

Habitat improvement & water development

13.0%

Address man animal conflict2.7%

Eco-development 5.2%

Veterinary Facility0.8%

Research & Field equipments

3.5%

Provision of Project Allowance to staff

4.6% Compensation & Legal Assistance

0.5%

Maintenance of vehicles -POL3.5%

Anti-poaching activities 61.0%

Intelligence gatheringIntelligence gathering

Poaching of tigers is still the Poaching of tigers is still the biggest threatbiggest threat

Delay in reaction time results Delay in reaction time results failurefailure

Intelligence gathering is the Intelligence gathering is the backbone of anti-poaching backbone of anti-poaching activities.activities.

Challenges Challenges

Coordination among various Coordination among various enforcement agencies and trans-enforcement agencies and trans-border issues border issues

Low conviction ratesLow conviction rates Gaps in the skills regarding Gaps in the skills regarding

documentation-evidence, documentation-evidence, Forensics, case preparation and Forensics, case preparation and supervision, multi-disciplinary supervision, multi-disciplinary approachapproach

Challenges Challenges Lack of awarenessLack of awareness

Poverty and dependency on Poverty and dependency on natural resourcesnatural resources

Porous bordersPorous borders

Protection of trans-boundary Protection of trans-boundary corridorscorridors

Vision for SAWENVision for SAWEN

An organization capable of An organization capable of coordinationcoordination intelligence gathering & sharingintelligence gathering & sharing assisting enforcementassisting enforcement wildlife crime preventionwildlife crime prevention facilitate protection of wildlife facilitate protection of wildlife

without borderswithout borders meet new challenges for the meet new challenges for the

Member CountriesMember Countries

Vision: contd.Vision: contd.

Facilitate protection of migration Facilitate protection of migration routes & threat mitigationroutes & threat mitigation

Analysis & Removal of differentialsAnalysis & Removal of differentials

Facilitate preparation of Species Facilitate preparation of Species specific regional management action specific regional management action plansplans

Vision: contd.Vision: contd.

India welcomes the initiative and looks India welcomes the initiative and looks forward to work with other South forward to work with other South Asian countries and relevant NGO Asian countries and relevant NGO partners already working in the region partners already working in the region to curb illegal wildlife trade that to curb illegal wildlife trade that threatens our shared natural heritage.threatens our shared natural heritage.

India looks forward to share its India looks forward to share its experiences & success stories. experiences & success stories.

Vision: contd.Vision: contd.

Wildlife enforcement is Wildlife enforcement is primarily a sovereign subject, primarily a sovereign subject, therefore, we acknowledge therefore, we acknowledge primacy of national laws and primacy of national laws and policies and each country policies and each country must respect the same for must respect the same for others.others.

Vision: contd.Vision: contd.

Main focus - species like tigers, Main focus - species like tigers, rhinos, leopards, elephants,rhinos, leopards, elephants,

Other lesser known species in Other lesser known species in illegal trade such as medicinal illegal trade such as medicinal plants, marine species etc. are plants, marine species etc. are also important.also important.

Vision: contd.Vision: contd. A joint training workshop with A joint training workshop with

member countriesmember countries India endorses the proposed India endorses the proposed

structure & work programme of structure & work programme of SAWEN, as agreed in the 1SAWEN, as agreed in the 1stst EGM EGM

Agree to the TOR of SG(SAWEN)Agree to the TOR of SG(SAWEN) Agree to membership fee, if any, Agree to membership fee, if any,

for joining/supporting.for joining/supporting.

Vision: contd.Vision: contd. The Secretariat could help to prepare The Secretariat could help to prepare

an active list of relevant experts and an active list of relevant experts and agencies “working in the region” agencies “working in the region”

May use WWF, TRAFFIC, Wildlife May use WWF, TRAFFIC, Wildlife Watch Group and Wildlife Watch Group and Wildlife Conservation, Nepal WTI, WPSI, NTNC Conservation, Nepal WTI, WPSI, NTNC etc. organizations with a long term etc. organizations with a long term presence and commitment to the presence and commitment to the regionregion

Initiatives at International level

India has bilateral protocol with Nepal & China on tiger conservation.

Bilateral protocol under consideration with Bhutan, Bangladesh & Myanmar.

India is signatory to CITES and supports ban on tiger farming & use/trade of its body parts

Suggested role for the GTI

Tiger : a sensitive and sovereign issue Tiger Conservation Plans/strategies are best

evolved in tiger range countries to address specific issues

GTI may make available a platform for experience sharing, facilitating control of trafficking in tiger body parts on a regional scale

No scope for GTI to involve in national projects More clarity required on the role of GTI vis-à-vis

the national tiger agenda of range countries Inter-ministerial forum like GTF provides scope

for partnership/collaboration with the GTI

THANK YOU