nternational Conventions

India continues to play a leading role in various international conventions pertaining to conservation and protection of wildlife and natural resources. India participated activity in the Conference of Parties to CITES ( Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora) held at Nairobi in May 2000. The Indian delegation could sensitize the global community about the problems of conservation of tigers. The Conference adopted a resolution urging the global community to fund the tiger conservation programme in India liberally. It also decided to set up a Tiger Enforcement Task Force for upgrading the skills and capabilities of enforcement agencies in different countries regarding protection of tiger. The first meeting of the Task Force was held in Delhi in April 2001. The Task Force identified the National Police Academy at Hyderabad for imparting training to the enforcement officials of the tiger range States. The Conference of Parties also took note of the continued poaching of elephants in India and the African countries and adopted a resolution to have zero quota for export of ivory till the next Conference of Parties to be held in November, 2002 at Santiago in Chile. India was also selected as an alternative member of the Steering Committee and a regular member of the Plants Committee of CITES.

Enforcement of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Export- Import Policy

The Wildlife (Protection) Act , 1972, the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and Export and Import Policy of India are enforced through the offices of the Regional Deputy Directors of Wildlife Preservation located at Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai with the help of State Wildlife Department, the State Police Departments, the Customs Departments, BSF and Coast-Guards. In addition there are 3 sub regional offices at Guwahati, Amritsar and Cochin. These offices have been functioning with due diligence despite limited staff strength and have detected a large number of cases relating to poaching of wild animals and smuggling of wildlife products from the country. The important seizures made by the regional offices during the period under report include: 23 tiger skins, 170 leopard skins, 225 Shahtoosh shawls, 240 kg. of Shahtoosh wool, 31 falcons, 1 Rhino horn and 3300 snake skins.

Additions to Protected Marine Species

During recent years exploitation of Sharks, Rays, Groupers and Holothurians have increased due to its demand for its parts and derivatives including human consumption in the international market especially in South-Asian and for Eastern countries. This has resulted in sharp decline in the population of these species all along the Indian coasts. Sea cucumbers have been harvested by locals and foreigners due to their high commercial values. Similarly the corals have been exploited for their use in cement industries and decorative purposes. Since corals are a major component of marine eco-system, decline in the coral population adversely affects the other marine species. In view of this, the Ministry has, in consultation with scientific institutions and experts working in this field, included the following marine species under the purview of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Ten Species of Sharks & Rays Schedule I 9 Species of molluscs Schedule I All species of Sea horses- Schedule I Giant Groupers- Schedule I All Reef Building Corals, all Black Corals, all Fire Corals, all Sea fans and Organ pipe coral- Schedule I All Holothurians Schedule I 15 Species of molluscs- Schedule IV.

8. All Calcareans Sponges)- Schedule III