Indian Army to get Powers to Protect Wildlife

India plans to enlist the army to help protect its threatened
tiger population and other animals giving soldiers the
power to arrest or even shoot poachers, wildlife officials
said. The smuggling and sale of Indian tiger or leopard
skin and Elephant Ivory is common across the borders and
poaching of endangered animals is reportedly widespread
throughout the country.

While the 1.1 million strong army is deployed in
environmentally fragile border hot-spots, troops now have
no powers to act against wildlife crimes. The Government
was planning to amend existing legislation to give army the
powers to act in border areas where smuggling and
poaching is common.

“The amendments to the Wildlife Act will mean that the
army will be able to arrest, detain and even open fire on
poachers who evade arrest”, said an official from the
National Board for Wildlife. Also added that this will give
them parity with chief wildlife wardens.

As we have earlier reported, Wildlife crime (that includes
buying and selling of endangered animals), currently
estimated at over USD 6 billion a year, represents the
Third Largest Black Market in the world, behind
only illegal arms and drug smuggling.


                                                                                          November 2006
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