https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

An IPS Officer Who’s Been Protecting Wildlife For 16 Years

IPS officer Aravind Chaturvedi has been protecting and conserving wildlife for over 16 years now. He has especially focused on protecting and conserving tigers and turtles that are smuggled illegally across borders. He is also rehabilitating the poachers and smugglers of wildlife and helping them live a life of dignity.
Indian Masterminds Stories

On World Wildlife Day 2022, Indian Masterminds brings to you the inspiring story of an IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh, who is actively working in the field of wildlife conservation for 16 years now. He is Mr. Aravind Chaturvedi, and he is currently posted as the Superintendent of Police, Vigilance, in Lucknow. In an exclusive conversation with us on the occasion of Wildlife Day, he talked about ‘why’ and ‘how’ he has been engaged in conserving wildlife, especially tigers and turtles.

Mr. Aravind Chaturvedi, IPS, Superintendent of Police, Vigilance, Lucknow (in black suit)

PROTECTING TIGERS

The Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh Police is a dedicated unit to combat organized crimes. It had assigned a special team to handle wildlife crimes in the state and nearby areas. Mr. Aravind Chaturvedi was given the responsibility to lead this team.

With the abundance of forest cover in the Tarai belt of Uttar Pradesh, adjoining boundaries with Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, and the porous international border with Nepal have been instrumental for the thriving of poaching and smuggling of wildlife contrabands in this area.

Recovered skin

“The situation was further complicated by the existence of infamous traders in wildlife contrabands, especially bones and skins of tiger and leopard,who had expertise in traditional tannery business in Kanpur, Fatehpur and Allahabad,” Mr. Chaturvedi said.

In his 16 years of service towards wildlife, the IPS officer has caught innumerable poachers and smugglers, trying to smuggle carcasses of these precious animals across countries.

SAVING TURTLES

North India is the largest region in the world that trades in turtles illegally across borders, with its main hub lying in several cities of Uttar Pradesh. Turtle poaching is done for its soft meat, and it is also smuggled to other countries to be kept as pets, both of which are against the law.

In order to protect the turtles, Mr. Chaturvedi is closely associated with a US-based NGO called Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) that focuses solely on the protection and conservation of hard and soft shelled turtles.

Recovered traps

“As a result of continuous analysis of digital and ground data of poachers, middlemen, carriers and traders, my team is able to bust and recover huge number of live turtles, being smuggled outside countries in huge trucks.”

The officer has unearthed illegal turtle trade networks and different gangs’ international connections in close coordination with the TSA. He was also conferred Turtle Conservation Service Award by Turtle Survival Alliance during the National Strategic Planning Meeting hosted by TSA in association with MoEF& CC and National Mission for Clean Ganga.

Moving towards the jungle

REHABILITATING POACHERS

“There are three prevailing concepts for protection of wildlife – preservation, conservation, and prevention of attacks on them,” Mr. Chaturvedi said.

The officer focused on rehabilitating and raising awareness amongst villagers involved in poaching and smuggling of animals like lions, tigers, leopards, pangolins, snakes, etc. He understood that half his problems would vanish if he could convince and motivate these poachers to move towards a better livelihood option.

Fresh blood at skinning point

“For a law enforcer such as myself, every person or community involved in such trade is a criminal. But if we take a closer look at these communities with respect to their social and geographical positioning, we realise that their activities are not governed by the law but by their own situations, skills, and traditions. Therefore, our wildlife preservation initiatives should be targeted towards such communities to bring about skill development, literacy promotion, community welfare programmes and financial support.”

The officer soon involved them in respectable jobs such as peons, sweepers, guards, poultry farmers, etc., which not only increased their monthly earnings but also enabled them to live a life of dignity.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
Policing, Trust, and Investment: Insights from IPF - Indian Masterminds
Indian Police Foundation Marks 10 Years, Discussion on How Policing Builds Investor Confidence
Madhya Pradesh football training
Mini Brazil to Germany: Vicharpur’s Young Footballers Get CM Mohan Yadav’s Blessings on Vijayadashami Week
bureaucracy news
Centre Announces Key Bureaucratic Appointments & Deputation Extensions: Neeraj Surendran, Arun G, Anand Mohan Among Key Names
PM Modi CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar Receives Rs. 10,219 Crore from Centre: A Festive Gift On Vijayadashami to Fuel Development & Welfare, Backed by GST Reforms
Chhattisgarh government
Chhattisgarh CM Charts Development Roadmap: Push for Capital Expenditure, Biometric Attendance, & Transparent Governance
Vishnu Deo Sai CM
Chhattisgarh Gets Rs. 3,462 Crore Boost from Modi Government: Here's How CM Sai Pledges To Spend It!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
Dr. S.K
Technology Meets Ecology: IFS Dr S K Srivastava’s Game-Changing Innovations in Forest Management | Eco Warrior Awards 2025 Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Ankit MPPSC 2024 Rank 3
From Village Dreams to Deputy Collector’s Chair: Meet Ankit, MPPSC Rank 3 Hindi Medium Topper
Ankit, a Hindi-medium aspirant from Balaghat, secured Rank 3 in MPPSC 2024 and became Deputy Collector...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
Dr. S.K
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT