https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Checking Animal Trafficking

Indian Masterminds Stories

Poaching and illegal trade of wild animals have been the biggest bane for the forest department. The market for wildlife has grown exponentially over the years and smugglers have been finding ways and means to beat the enforcement agencies. A major handicap of various agencies is their inability to properly identify a lot of species thus delaying the action and allowing accused traders to get away the dragnet either on the spot or in the court. 

The issue was taken up seriously by Uttarakhand cadre IFS officer of 2008 batch Dr. Saket Badola who ultimately resolved it successfully. Currently posted as Head of TRAFFIC India Programme, WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), India, New Delhi Dr. Badola along with his team has developed identification tools for tortoise & turtles, Seashells or marine molluscs (animal with soft body covered under hard shells) and owl. 

Dr. Badola with his fellow officers in a jungle

In a conversation with Indian mastermindsthe officer talked about how the tool has helped in contolling the illegal trade of wild life. 

NEED OF IDENTIFICATION 

The illegal trade of wildlife is handled not by just the forest department but also by police, various border security and enforcement forces like BSF, ITBP, SSB, CISF. They also seize lot of animals being trafficked. 

India has rich biodiversity. Each animal has number of species. For example, they are 36 species of Owl in which 16 are commonly traded. Similar is the case with parrots, tortoise and seashells. 

Some of these species are protected under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 while some are not. If the agency slips in the correct identification, they might end up releasing the animal or if they seize it anyway, their case  becomes weak and the accused are released by the court. 

Dr. Badola has been very successful in curbing illegal trafficking of wildlife

Keeping this in mind the Dr. Badola & his team developed identification tools. First one was for turtles & tortoise, another one was for seashells and the latest is for owls. The tool gives 360 degree information about each species in every group including their characteristics & scientific names. 

IMPACT 

Talking about the impact of the tool the Dr. Badola said, “Other than correctly identification & seizure of the wildlife on spot, the tool has been a success in lot other ways. It has helped in spreading awareness among the agencies which are not directly involved in wildlife protection but tackle the trading cases on a daily basis.”

These tools have also reduced lot of time for moving on to the next step after the seizure. For example, if the animal has to be released in the wild after the seizure, the process used to get delayed because of the identification process, he told Indian Masterminds.

With an enhanced awareness about protected species, reporting of animal trafficking in some national park earlier has also increased. 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
THDC-resized
THDC India Commissions Nation’s First Variable Speed Pumped Storage Unit at Tehri, Marks Historic Milestone in Renewable Energy - All Details Mentioned Here
Prakash Punj, Patna Sahib
Beautification Work Completed at Prakash Punj, Patna Sahib: A New Landmark for Sikh Heritage & Tourism
Indian Railways
Indian Railways Strengthens Ticketing System with Digital Overhaul & Anti-BOT Measures - Know More
WCL Western Coalfield
WCL Achieves Record Profit Before Tax of Rs. 4,376 Crore in FY 2024–25, All Details Inside
Bihar vegetables
Historic: Bihar Exports Vegetables to Dubai for the First Time: Minister Prem Kumar Flags Off Consignment
Indian Police Services IPS Officer
3 IPS Officers Transferred in Madhya Pradesh Police Department Reshuffle; Priyanka Shukla Made AIG, Bhopal Police HQ
ICAS Service
Ministry of Finance Notifies New Indian Civil Accounts Service Recruitment Rules, 2025 - Here is All You Need To Know
UPSC Image
UPSC Prelims Result 2025 Likely by June 14 Based on Past Trends - Here's How You Can Check Your Result!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Monika Singh
Monika Singh’s Life Beyond the Bureaucracy | Video Interview 
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
Modernising Governance: A Digital Transformation in Gangtok
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Divyanshu Pal Nagar IFS
5 Years, 5 Mains, 4 Interviews: How Divyanshu Pal Nagar Stumbled in CSE, Triumphed in IFS - A Lesson for Every Aspirant
Divyanshu Pal Nagar’s inspiring five-year UPSC journey shows how perseverance, disciplined self-study,...
ANUBHAV SINGH UPSC IFS 2024
9 Years, 8 Attempts, 7 Failures: How Anubhav Singh Cracked UPSC IFS 2024 with AIR 3 Against All Odds | Exclusive
Anubhav Singh’s inspiring journey to UPSC IFS Rank 3 showcases relentless perseverance, strategic preparation,...
Jogender Sihag
“I Cleared UPSC, But My Grandfather isn’t Here to Hear it,” Jogender Sihag, AIR 521, UPSC CSE 2024
"Life is short; make the most of it, whether in civil service or any other field. Just have a clear vision...
Social Media
Tiger jump Sundarban
Stunning Viral Video Shows Royal Bengal Tiger Making Spectacular 30-Foot Leap Across River in Sunderbans - See It Here
Retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda shared the clip online, which quickly went...
shubham kumar ias marriage
IAS Topper Weds BPSC Topper: Shubham Kumar Marries IRS Officer Priyangi Mehta in Patna; Wedding Video Goes Viral
Topper Couple Alert: Shubham Kumar, Priyangi Mehta’s Wedding Grabs Spotlight in Bihar
parveen kaswan elephant
Elephant Outsmarts Electric Fence! IFS Parveen Kaswan Shares Incredible Video!
In the now-viral 51-second clip, the intelligent giant approaches a wooden pole supporting high-voltage...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
THDC-resized
THDC India Commissions Nation’s First Variable Speed Pumped Storage Unit at Tehri, Marks Historic Milestone in Renewable Energy - All Details Mentioned Here
Prakash Punj, Patna Sahib
Beautification Work Completed at Prakash Punj, Patna Sahib: A New Landmark for Sikh Heritage & Tourism
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Monika Singh
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
IMG-20250523-WA0036
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT