Leh (Jammu & Kashmir): The Department of Wildlife Protection, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, Care for the Wild, UK, and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) jointly organised a three-day wildlife crime prevention training programme for the frontline field staff of Leh and Kargil wildlife divisions in Leh, last week.

The training was organised to sensitise frontline staff as well as range officers of Leh, on relevant wildlife legislations, particularly the Jammu & Kashmir Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1978. The participants were also trained on field crafts including patrolling and census techniques among others by the resource persons Dr Rakesh Kumar Singh, coordinator of the Van Rakshak Project (VRP) of WTI and Dr Bindu Raghavan of GNAPE, Chennai.

Dr Singh said, “The training mainly focused on ensuring successful prosecution of offenders and preventing wildlife crime on the field.”

On the concluding day, Dr Singh made a presentation on the countrywide nexus among wildlife traders in the presence of senior forest department staff as well as senior police personnel, including AK Sahu, Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Jigmmet Takpa, Regional Wildlife Warden, SR Samuel, SSP, Leh, Tahir Shawl, Wildlife Warden, Leh. He stressed on the need for collaboration between the forest and civil authorities on a regional as well as national level.

Samuel reiterated the importance of cooperation between the two institutions in managing wildlife crimes and ensured all assistance to the wildlife department. He also called for joint workshops for the police and forest department staff for more effective wildlife crime prevention.

The programme ended on Friday with the distribution of WTI-sponsored field gear kits to the participants. The Wildlife Division, Leh, also distributed summer and winter uniforms to their staff.