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2nd EXPERT GROUP MEETING OF SAWEN Country Presentation – India 29 January, 2011 Paro, Bhutan Protected Areas PA: 4.8% of country’s geographical area NP: 99 WLS: 515 Con. Res.: 43 Comm. Res.: 4 TOTAL : 661 TR : 39 ER : 26 Protected Area Coverage Consist of 99 National Parks and 515 Wildlife Sanctuaries Conservation Reserve 43, Community Reserve 4 Total PAs = 661 TR = 39 ER = 26 Based on the conventional isolationist approach Existing PAs 887 Cum. Growth Years 33 22 2001-05 292 Proposals 47 1996-00 101 86 187 95 282 1991-95 67 34 595 573 540 493 211 1986-90 67 1981-85 1000 800 600 400 200 0 1976-80 1971-75 Upto 1970 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 Total No. of Protected Areas Tiger Occupied Landscape Complexes Tiger Occupancy in about 95,000 km2 , Potential Habitat of about 300,000 km2. Shivalik Terai Central India Western Ghats North -East Sunderbans Eastern Ghats Tiger number range between 1165 to 1657 Protection/Enforcement framework in India Federal governance: Centre and State have specific roles Habitat-land, water etc State subject, wildlife government property Protection/Enforcement framework in India: contd. Day to day management of PA s and execution of Acts – by State Governments Wildlife(Protection) Act, 1972-umbrella legal frame work for uniform level of protection/ enforcement across the country Contd. A multi-disciplinary WCCB constituted on 5.6.2007 Intelligence-organized crime-disseminatecreation and maintenance of centralized wildlife crime databank co-ordination with various enforcement agencies infrastructure & capacity building scientific and professional investigation National and Regional Issues Mega-Biodiversity Large number of species under threat from poaching & illegal trade i.e. Tiger and other big cats, Rhinoceros, Star Tortoises, Pangolin National and Regional Issues: contd. Outside market driven poaching Plants like Red Sanders, Cycas, Saussurea, Orchids are under great threat Shells and Corals Tiger Mortality-data Year 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. Despite pressure on natural resources including wildlife, we have: World’s more than 50% wild tiger population Only country having Asiatic Lion Largest population of one horned Rhino and Asiatic elephants Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans) Pangolin Trade in Wildlife Hunting of all wildlife prohibited All trade in scheduled animals/animal articles prohibited Endangered plants protected , Collection from wild prohibited, cultivation, possession etc regulated Key Agencies Involved in the Enforcement Central State Agencies Level Agencies NGOs: WWF, TRAFFIC, WPSI, WTI etc. Trade in Wildlife Foreign Trade Policy governing trade in flora & fauna Provisions of CITES incorporated into FTP and violations are dealt under Customs Act, 1962. Exim trade in wildlife prohibited except Special purposes (Research, Zoos etc) under license Successes Creation of WCCB; A multidisciplinary agency Launching of “tigernet” ; a web enabled reporting system for tiger & other wildlife mortality (in association with TRAFFIC India) Creation of STPF in 13 Tiger Reserves Launching of “M-STrIPES” in selected Tiger Resereves Successes: contd. Guidelines for preparation of reserve specific Security Plan issued Busting of inter-state organized gangs Capacity building of field agencies (Exit points/ State Forest, Police, Judiciary) on Wildlife Laws, investigation & forensic Collation, analysis and dissemination of the patterns based on available 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 Central Control Room Data Analysis and Pattern Identification Remote IR Eye Long Range Remote Eye Bilaspur Wi-Fi Core Area Long Range Remote Eye Remote IR Eye Web-Browser Controls Remote Eyes Internet Cloud Remote IR Eye Long Range Remote Eye 1 0110 1 0110 1111 Delhi Remote Sub-Station Kolkata Recent Milestone Achievement Arrest of Narayan by CWLW Rajasthan & Sariska team Brother of Sansar Chand Wanted in several states At Guwahati airport seizure of tiger/leopard bones. At Dhaka airport seizure of Green Munias, Jungle Maina & Star Tortoise. Eco-development Maintenance of vehicles 5.2% POL Provision of Project 3.5% Research & Field Allowance to staff equipments Compensation & Legal 4.6% Veterinary Facility 3.5% Assistance 0.8% 0.5% Address man animal conflict 2.7% Habitat improvement & water development 13.0% Human Resource Development 1.2% Anti-poaching activities 61.0% Staff amenities 4.0% Itemw ise Sanction ( %) CSS-PT(2008-09) (Excluding Village Relocation) Intelligence gathering Poaching of tigers is still the biggest threat Delay in reaction time results failure Intelligence gathering is the backbone of anti-poaching activities. Challenges Coordination among various enforcement agencies and transborder issues Low conviction rates Gaps in the skills regarding documentation-evidence, Forensics, case preparation and supervision, multi-disciplinary approach Challenges Lack of awareness Poverty and dependency on natural resources Porous borders Protection of trans-boundary corridors Vision for SAWEN An organization capable of coordination intelligence gathering & sharing assisting enforcement wildlife crime prevention facilitate protection of wildlife without borders meet new challenges for the Member Countries Vision: contd. Facilitate protection of migration routes & threat mitigation Analysis & Removal of differentials Facilitate preparation of Species specific regional management action plans Vision: contd. India welcomes the initiative and looks forward to work with other South Asian countries and relevant NGO partners already working in the region to curb illegal wildlife trade that threatens our shared natural heritage. India looks forward to share its experiences & success stories. Vision: contd. Wildlife enforcement is primarily a sovereign subject, therefore, we acknowledge primacy of national laws and policies and each country must respect the same for others. Vision: contd. Main focus - species like tigers, rhinos, leopards, elephants, Other lesser known species in illegal trade such as medicinal plants, marine species etc. are also important. Vision: contd. A joint training workshop with member countries India endorses the proposed structure & work programme of SAWEN, as agreed in the 1st EGM Agree to the TOR of SG(SAWEN) Agree to membership fee, if any, Vision: contd. The Secretariat could help to prepare an active list of relevant experts and agencies “working in the region” May use WWF, TRAFFIC, Wildlife Watch Group and Wildlife Conservation, Nepal WTI, WPSI, NTNC etc. organizations with a long term presence and commitment to the region 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 THANK YOU 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