Valmikinagar, Bihar, 10 February 2021
WTI’s Wildlife Crime Control Division (WCCD) recently conducted a wildlife crime prevention training for the frontline staff of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar on 3rd – 5th February, 2021
Valmiki TR spanning 899 sq.km along the Indo-Nepal border in the West Champaran district of Bihar is a critical tiger habitat with 33 tigers recorded in the 2018 tiger census. Capacity building training helps in prevention of wildlife crime especially in transboundary regions like Valmiki TR.
A preliminary need based assessment of the new recruits of the forest department indicated that a capacity building training was necessary for the frontline staff of this tiger reserve. The training was a balanced mix of both classroom tutorials as well as field sessions with modules on basic ecological knowledge, wildlife crime, the steps required to be undertaken in a criminal investigation as well as forensics. Sessions included aspects of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 on how to effectively use it as a legal tool for booking cases as well as field tracking by pug marks, scats, reading maps and topo-sheets, and identification of snares.
The training was conducted by WTI’s WCCD team headed by Jose Louies and Adv. Yash Kumar Soni who gave legal sessions on the WPA 1972, Indian Evidence Act, 1872 and Code of Criminal Procedure 1973.
“This training would certainly enhance the capacity of the staff in preventing wildlife crimes, collection of evidence, investigation process and documentation. This is essential to increase the protection levels of the tiger reserve” mentioned Shri Hem Kant Roy, Field Director, Valmiki TR.
The trainees were provided with a field kit of winter jacket, cap, torch, raincoat, bag, raincoat and a baton based on the requirements suggested by the forest department in the need based assessment conducted earlier.
Dr. Neeraj Narayan, Dy. Director, Valmiki TR in his address during the closing session emphasized the importance of anti-snare walks which will directly save wildlife from hunting and poaching.
Van Rakshak Project of Wildlife Trust of India was initiated in 2000 with aim of assisting the government to create a strong, well equipped and motivated force of frontline forest staff to curb poaching and habitat degradation in wildlife areas. The project employs a multi – pronged strategy with four thrust areas namely, Training, Equipping, Awareness and Morale boosting (TEAM) of frontline staff of the protected area network of India. We have trained over 17,940 frontline forest personnel from over 170 protected areas under this project.
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