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Time of India
13-07-2025
- Time of India
MPSTF rescues 39 baby ghariyals being transported to B'desh, arrests 3
Bhopal: In a major breakthrough against illegal wildlife trafficking, Madhya Pradesh's Special Tiger Strike Force (STSF) has busted an international smuggling racket and rescued a consignment of endangered aquatic species, including 30 baby gharials, that were allegedly being smuggled to Bangladesh through a cross-border network. Acting on specific information, STSF teams from Bhopal and Shivpuri intercepted a Hyundai car on the Sabalgarh–Morena road near Jora on the evening of July 12. Inside the vehicle, officials discovered 30 baby gharials (Gavialis gangeticus) and 14 red-crowned roofed turtles (Batagur kachuga), all protected under Schedule I of India's Wildlife Protection Act. The reptiles were contained in improvised containers and being transported in violation of national and international wildlife laws. The three occupants of the car were apprehended at the scene. The arrested individuals were identified as Raju Adivasi, son of Jagdish, resident of Mauranipur in Uttar Pradesh; Vijay Gaur, son of Shashikant Gaur, resident of Barrack Quarter in Thatipur, Gwalior; and Ramveer Singh, son of Shiv Singh Baghel, a resident of Surya Vihar Colony, Pintu Park, Gwalior. All three men have previous records of wildlife crimes and are believed to be part of a larger network involving local poachers, transport agents, and international buyers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo Following their interrogation, the STSF conducted a subsequent raid in Gwalior in the early hours of July 13, recovering three additional red-crowned roofed turtles and 19 three-striped roofed turtles (Batagur dhongoka). In total, 66 live animals were seized from the accused in a two-phase operation. A forest crime case (No. 237/20, dated July 12, 2025) was filed by the STSF Shivpuri unit. Local police and the Morena Forest Division assisted in the operation. The accused were presented before the forest court in Shivpuri and have been remanded into custody for further interrogation. Preliminary investigations reveal that the animals were poached from the National Chambal Sanctuary, a protected riverine ecosystem spanning parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The reptiles were reportedly being smuggled to Bangladesh and distributed further into illegal wildlife markets across Southeast Asia. Officials stated that the rescued species are highly desired in foreign markets, particularly in Europe and parts of Asia, where they are used for the exotic pet trade and traditional medicine. "This case isn't just about one vehicle or three suspects. It is part of a structured, transnational wildlife trafficking network that exploits India's endangered species for profit," said a senior officer involved in the operation. All three rescued species — the gharial, red-crowned roofed turtle, and three-striped roofed turtle — are listed as critically endangered or vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and are protected under both Indian law and the international CITES convention. The rescued animals are currently undergoing medical evaluation and care by wildlife veterinarians.
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Time of India
‘Had they crossed the border, they'd vanish into black markets': MP Tiger Force busts gang smuggling baby gharials, turtles to Bangladesh; 3 arrested
Madhya Pradesh's Special Tiger Strike Force dismantled an international smuggling operation, rescuing endangered aquatic species destined for Bangladesh. The team intercepted a vehicle near Jora, recovering 30 baby gharials and 14 red-crowned roofed turtles. BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh's Special Tiger Strike Force (STSF) has busted an international smuggling racket and rescued a consignment of endangered aquatic species, including 30 baby gharials, that were allegedly being trafficked to Bangladesh through a cross-border network. The operation was led by senior wildlife officer Ritesh Sirothia and his team following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering. Acting on specific inputs, STSF teams from Bhopal and Shivpuri intercepted a Hyundai car on the Sabalgarh–Morena road near Jora on the evening of July 12, under the guidance of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Madhya Pradesh. Inside the vehicle, officials found 30 baby gharials (Gavialis gangeticus) and 14 red-crowned roofed turtles (Batagur kachuga), all protected under Schedule I of India's Wildlife Protection Act. The reptiles were packed into makeshift containers and being transported in violation of national and international wildlife laws. The three occupants of the car were arrested on the spot. The arrested individuals have been identified as Raju Adivasi, son of Jagdish, resident of Mauranipur in Uttar Pradesh; Vijay Gaur, son of Shashikant Gaur, resident of Barrack Quarter in Thatipur, Gwalior; and Ramveer Singh, son of Shiv Singh Baghel, a resident of Surya Vihar Colony, Pintu Park, Gwalior. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like So sánh mức trượt giá: Hợp đồng tương lai (CFD) Bitcoin vs Ethereum IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo All three men have prior wildlife crime records and are believed to be part of a larger network involving local poachers, transport agents, and international buyers. Following their interrogation, the STSF launched a follow-up raid in Gwalior in the early hours of July 13, where 3 more red-crowned roofed turtles and 19 three-striped roofed turtles (Batagur dhongoka) were recovered. In total, 66 live animals were seized from the accused in a two-phase operation. A forest crime case (No. 237/20, dated July 12, 2025) was registered by the STSF Shivpuri unit. Local police and the Morena Forest Division assisted in the operation. The accused were produced before the forest court in Shivpuri and have been remanded to custody for further interrogation. Initial investigations indicate that the animals were poached from the National Chambal Sanctuary, a protected riverine ecosystem that spans parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The reptiles were reportedly being smuggled to Bangladesh and routed further into illegal wildlife markets across Southeast Asia. According to officials, the rescued species are highly sought after in foreign markets, particularly in Europe and parts of Asia, where they are used for exotic pet trade and traditional medicine. 'This case isn't just about one vehicle or three suspects. It is part of a structured, transnational wildlife trafficking network that exploits India's endangered species for profit,' said a senior officer involved in the operation. 'Had these animals made it across the border, they would likely have vanished into global black markets.' All three rescued species — the gharial, red-crowned roofed turtle, and three-striped roofed turtle — are listed as critically endangered or vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and are protected under both Indian law and the international CITES convention. These species play a crucial ecological role in maintaining healthy river systems, and their declining populations have raised alarms among conservationists, say officials. The rescued animals are currently undergoing medical evaluation and care by wildlife veterinarians. Once stable, they will be released back into secure stretches of the Chambal River. The case is expected to trigger wider coordination between Indian enforcement agencies and international wildlife crime units, including INTERPOL and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. Forensic analysis of seized mobile devices, communication logs, and transport records is underway, and further arrests are likely as the investigation expands.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Beyond Guns & Gore: Chambal sanctuary sees sharpest rise in gharial count
A successful breeding programme, effective habitat protection measures and minimum human intervention has seen the sharpest rise in the gharials' number in the UP side of National Chambal Sanctuary. Guns and gore are passé. Gharials are the latest newsmakers from Chambal. The National Chambal Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh has seen the sharpest jump in the number of Gharials this year — from 1,880 in 2024 to 2,026 in 2025 — since 1975 when the conservation of crocodiles started in India. Wildlife warden of National Chambal Sanctuary, KC Shekhar, says, 'Notably, the gharial count of 2,026 includes both juveniles and adults. This counting is done when they come to sun-bathe on the sand beaches during winter. It's not neces-sary that all gharials come out to sunbathe at the same time. Some remain in the water which makes it difficult to count them, so the actual number might be higher.' Chandni Singh, the divisional forest officer (DFO) of the sanctuary, says the development bucks the global trend. 'The Chambal river's pristine ecosystem has shown encouraging growth in populations of two native crocodile species — gharials (Gavialis Gangeticus) and muggers (Crocodylus Palustris),' she says, adding 'these achievements stem from dedicated conservation work by forest staff, wildlife organisations, and local communities. ' Secretary general of National Chambal Sanctuary, Rajeev Chauhan, also supported the official figures and said that the number could increase if advanced methods were used for counting. 'The increase signifies that UP has become a pioneering state in conservation. This shows that Chambal is not polluted as these reptiles prefer fresh water.' The Indian gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), a distinctive species, traditionally inhabited Indian rivers in large numbers. Its population decline resulted in its inclusion on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List for the past several decades. The govt of India also launched the Crocodile Conservation project across the country on June 17, 1975. The National Chambal Sanctuary expanding across three states was declared a national sanctuary in 1979. The total area of the sanctuary is approximately 5400 sq km out of which the UP side covering Etawah, Agra and Auraiya dists is about 635 sq km. In UP, it starts from Taasond village located in Agra dist on UP-Rajasthan border to Pachnada, located on the border of Etawah and Jalaun dists, the area infamous for bandits in the past. The 2025 numbers — 2,024 — are only for the UP side of the sanctuary. While these creatures survive only in select rivers, Chambal has come up as a haven. A limited number of gharials are found in the Ganga as well. In 1975, when the conservation project started, the number of gharials in the sanctuary was just 200. Since then, the number has gone up steadily, but 2008 saw a grave crisis when 112 reptiles perished and the conservation project came under heavy scrutiny, says Dr Rajeev Chauhan, the secretary general of the Society for Conservation of Nature. KC Raj Shekhar, the wildlife warden of the sanctuary says that the rise of 146 in gharials' number is sharpest since 1975. 'If we look at the data, the count would only increase or decrease by 8 to 10, but this year's count of 146 is remarkable, and everyone is excited.' DFO Chandni Singh confirmed that joint survey results motivated the forest department, validating their staff's efforts. The surveys also revealed an increase in muggers' populations in the Chambal to 869, up from 742 last year. Previous counts showed 608 in 2023, 594 in 2022, and 586 in 2021. The success story of crocodile conservation in the Chambal River ecosystem demonstrates the effectiveness of long-term preservation efforts. Gharial's distinctive long, narrow snout and mugger's broader jaw structure represent different evolutionary adaptations to their riverine habitat. Gharials primarily feed on fish, while muggers have a more varied diet including fish, reptiles, and small mammals. This dietary distinction has helped both species coexist in the Chambal's waters without significant competition. Local communities along the river have played a crucial role in this conservation success. They serve as wildlife guardians, reporting illegal activities and protecting nesting sites. The forest department has established a network of monitoring stations along the river, where staff regularly patrol and document crocodile behaviour and population dynamics. 'The sanctuary's success also stems from its strict regulations against sand mining, fishing, and other human activities that could disturb the crocodiles' habitat. Regular monitoring of water quality and maintaining adequate water levels have ensured suitable conditions for breeding and survival,' says a efforts include protecting nesting sites during breeding season, which occurs between March and May. Forest staff carefully monitor these sites to prevent egg collection and predation. The department has also implemented awareness programmes in villages along the river, educating locals about the importance of these species to the ecosystem. The increase in numbers also reflects successful breeding programmes and habitat protection measures. Young gharials and muggers now have better survival rates due to reduced human interference and improved riverside vegetation cover. The sanctuary's approach combines scientific monitoring with traditional ecological knowledge, creating an effective conservation model. These positive results have encouraged neighbouring states to adopt similar conservation strategies. The success in Chambal demonstrates that with dedicated effort and community participation, endangered species can recover and thrive in their natural habitats.
