Wildlife Protection Society of India

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Wildlife Protection Society of India
Location
Websitewww.wpsi-india.org

The Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) was founded in 1994 by

illegal wildlife trade
- particularly in wild tigers. It has now broadened its focus to deal with human-animal conflicts and provide support for research projects.

With a team of committed environmentalists, WPSI is one of the most respected and effective wildlife conservation organisations in India. It is a registered non-profit organisation, funded by a wide range of Indian and international donors. The society's board members include leading conservationists and business people.[2]

Programs

The WPSI works with government law enforcement agencies throughout India to apprehend tiger poachers and traders in tiger parts. WPSI also makes every effort to investigate and verify any seizure of tiger parts and unnatural tiger deaths that are brought to their notice.[2]

Investigation

WPSI maintains a network of

undercover agents and informants who gather intelligence on the illegal trade in endangered species.[2] WPSI's informers and agents are especially active in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Sundarbans
area.

In November, 2008, in one notable case, the notorious tiger poacher, "Dariya", was arrested by the Katni Forest Department, with information and assistance provided by Wildlife Protection Society of India.[3] Senior field investigators also maintain contact with personnel in lower courts, which is where most wildlife offences are tried. They liaise continuously with informers, forest officials and the police.[4] They are involved with elephant poaching and ivory trade investigations.[2]

Crime data

The WPSI Wildlife Crime Database has records of over 15,300 wildlife crimes involving more than 400 species that are targeted by wildlife traders and poachers. Data on wildlife crimes is received and processed daily with specially developed computer software. Important leads are verified and passed on to enforcement authorities for further action. In 2008 WPSI significantly expanded its database on tiger poaching and trade and related wildlife crimes. This data assists enforcement agencies in detecting wildlife crime and aids the apprehension and prosecution of criminals.[5]

Training

WPSI conducts Wildlife Law Enforcement Workshops for enforcement agencies. Since 2000, it has undertaken over 25 workshops in 12 states across India. WPSI has given specialist presentations to the

National Institute of Criminology, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Indian Revenue Service, the Wildlife Institute of India, tiger reserve authorities, and enforcement training centres.[6]

Conservation

WPSI supports conservation projects for species as varied as the tiger,

Pune District, Maharashtra and effects of forest resource extraction on biodiversity.[7]

Education

WPSI is actively involved in all of India's major wildlife conservation issues and has been at the forefront of media campaigns to highlight the importance of wildlife protection. WPSI prints and distributes educational posters about tiger and wildlife conservation and laws. The posters target the general population, highlight the need for conservation and encourage the protection of wildlife, and spell out penalties for poaching and trading. More than 40,000 posters have been distributed by state forest departments and local

NGOs in seven languages - Hindi, English, Kannada, Oriya, Assamese, Bengali and Malayalam.[8]

Publications

Some of the WPSI publications include

Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
- A Hand Guide With Case Law and Commentaries, A Brief Guide to The Wild Life (Protection) Act (English & Hindi), The Wild Life Protection Act - 1972 - as Amended with effect from 1 April 2003, Warden Alert (Newsletter on wildlife protection issues, English & Hindi editions) and Kachhapa (Newsletter on sea turtle conservation issues, in English).

They have produced documentary films including: Bones of Contention (a short film documenting the crises faced by wild tigers in India as a result of poaching and the illegal trade in tiger parts.), Birds of the Indian Monsoon (a 45-minute film on the lives of Kepladeo Sanctuary's birds), The Killing Fields: Orissa's Appalling Turtle Crisis (a documentary on the mass slaughter of olive ridley sea turtles along the coast of Orissa) and "…And Then There Were None" (a short documentary film which investigates the rampant poaching of otters in India).[8]

References

  1. ISBN 9780670083893
    .
  2. ^ a b c d Wildlife Protection Society of India (9 January 2009). "About Us..." WPSI. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  3. ^ India PRwire (8 December 2008). "Tiger Poacher Dariya Arrested". Press release. India PR Wire. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  4. ^ Wildlife Protection Society of India. "Tiger Poaching & Illegal Wildlife Trade Investigations". Projects. WPSI. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  5. ^ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2008). "India RT-0764RT-0764" (PDF). Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund Summary FY 2008. Division of International Conservation. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  6. ^ Banerjee, Tapas. "Wildlife Protection Society of India". Wild India, New Delhi. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  7. ^ Wildlife Protection Society of India. "Projects". WPSI. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  8. ^ a b Wildlife Protection Society of India. "Publication & Resources". WPSI. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
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