It was my first visit to Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, wherein we were going to attend the three day workshop which WTI had organized for the frontline staff. It was raining heavily and we were almost struck for an hour inside the forest as the Range Forest Officer who had to come to guide us to the forest rest house. There we sat discussing the various issues that loomed over the tiger reserve. One such thing that we discussed was the risk involved in the job as a frontline staff. Often the forest guards, watchers etc. who are involved in the grass root level of work here, face a lot of challenges in form of non-working/lack of proper equipment, threats to their lives from attack by wild animals, pressure from local people/villagers. Recently, a renowned forest officer Mr. S. Manikandan died due to an elephant attack while he was in the field inspecting forest-fires that had ravaged the tiger reserve. Such challenges are often faced by the frontline staff working out there. 

Located along the river Kabini, Nagarhole Tiger Reserve is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and it serves as a crucial migratory corridor for several wild animals. The reserve is home to a variety of fauna which includes tigers, leopards, elephants, etc. Also the tiger reserve has a large population of tribal/ forest dwellers living inside it, which often leads to cases of Human –wildlife conflicts. Also the reserve is affected by forest fires frequently. 

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Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in partnership with the Karnataka Forest Department and with support from Fondation SEGRE had conducted a three-day training programme to train, equip and boost the morale of frontline forest staff under its Van Rakshak Project (VRP). One can read in detail about VRP here https://www.wti.org.in/projects/wildlife-crime-control-division/

The training curriculum included legal and enforcement aspects of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, as well as wildlife crime prevention components such as the basics of anti-poaching patrolling techniques, intelligence gathering, informer network and handling, search and seizure, interrogation, hunting communities, crime scene investigation and the preparation of Preliminary Offence Reports. Trainees from the forest department were also briefed on relevant provisions of the Indian Evidence Act, Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Proceedings, and the powers conferred on them therein for the prosecution of wildlife crimes.

The training programme was inaugurated by Mr. Narayanaswamy, Conservator of Forest (CF) and Field Director Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. The first session was taken by Dr.Chandra Shekar, Assist. Director, Regional Forensic Science Laboratory who briefed the officers on various kinds of ballistics used in a crime scene. They were also told about the proper methods of evidence collection and documentation to be followed. It was followed by a practical training session where participants were divided into several teams, and they learned about various challenges and problems along with proper procedures to be followed in case of a wildlife crime scene. Next day Mr. Sudheer also took a session on legal assistance followed by Mr. Parameshwar, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Special Tiger Protection Force, who conducted a session on building informer network and getting relevant information to facilitate anti-poaching activities.

The training was concluded by distributing field kits and certificates to the participants and the program ended on a successful note.

WTI has been conducting such Wildlife Crime Prevention Training programme under its Van Rakshak Project (VRP) since 2001. Over 17100 frontline forest personnel have been trained in over 138 Protected Areas across 18 states. VRP follows a multi-pronged strategy with four thrust areas abbreviated as TEAM: Training, Equipping, Awareness and Morale Boosting, to build capacity and strengthen the spirit of personnel in severe field conditions.

Pikit Hembrom works as Programme Officer in the Wildlife Crime Control Division at WTI. He loves photography and has a passion for wildlife. You can reach out to him at po1.wccd@wti.org.in