Context: Recently, data on illegal wildlife crime in India was made public by the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change.

• The data was made available on the basis of cases registered by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and State Forest and Police Authorities.

Current scenario of wild life trafficking in India

• 2054 cases were registered and 3,836 accused were arrested for killing or illegal trafficking of wild animals between 2018 and 2020.
• 601 cases were registered and 1231 arrests in 2020.

Illegal wildlife trafficking in India

• Illegal wildlife trade is one of the largest forms of transnational organized crime.
• It is the illegal practice of exchanging animals and plants for personal gain.

Causes

• Lack of adequate legislation to prohibit illegal trading.
• The fines range from ten thousand rupees to twenty-five thousand rupees, with seven to ten years of imprisonment.
• Due to inadequate prosecution, the majority of the poachers are acquitted.
• The conviction of a poacher for three years was seen as a rare sentence in India.

Harvesting

• It is the practice of eliminating a species that has become overpopulated to restore ecological equilibrium.
• The majority of animals are wind up on the black market.

Transferring of Illegal trade items into legal markets

• The majority of illegally trafficked wildlife is marketed in legal markets.
• It leads to an increase in demand resulting in more poaching.

Huge money on offer

• Illegally sold goods command a high price on European marketplaces
• Vicious loop of greed has been a constant fuel for the poaching industry.

Undocumented species

• Thousands of undocumented species are sold legally on the international market.
• The diverse demand and usage
• It is used in medicines and to make a carpet and rug.
• Majority of illegally obtained parts are meant for the international market and has no direct demand in India.

Operations by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)

• Save Kurma: It aim to focus on the poaching, transportation and illegal trade of live turtles and tortoises.
• Operation Turtshield: It aim to tackle the illegal trade of live turtles.
• Operation Soft gold: It aim to tackle illegal trade in Shahtoosh shawls (made from Chiru wool).
• Operation Lesknow: It aim to gain attention towards the illegal wildlife trade.
• Operation Clean Art: It aim to drag attention towards illegal wildlife trade in Mongoose hair brushes.
• Operation Birbil: It aim to curb illegal trade in wild cat and wild bird species
• Operation Wildnet: It aim to focus on increasing illegal wildlife trade over internet using social media platforms.
• Operation Freefly: It aim to focus on illegal trade of live birds.
• Operation Wetmark: It aim to ensure prohibition of sale of meat of wild animals in wet markets across the country.