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On the occasion of International Rhino Day today, approximately 40 border police officials were sensitised to the issue of crimes against greater one-horned rhinos and other endangered species.
The event took place at the Rangia Sectoral Headquarter of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), where experts discussed the ongoing trend of wildlife crimes and how border police can play a crucial role in deterring them, a statement said. NGO Aaranyaks Project Officer and Wildlife Crime Analyst, Ivy Farheen Hussain, delivered a presentation focusing on the rising incidents of crimes against rhinos and other vital species. The sensitisation session was part of a two-day wildlife crime prevention course organised for SSB officials, with Aaranyak invited to provide insights. In recent years, the SSB has become increasingly active in wildlife cases, successfully intercepting critical shipments of pangolin scales and tokay geckos while thwarting international illegal wildlife trade. Today's event also aligns with Aaranyak's DETERS (Disrupt and End Trade of Endangered and Rare Species) Initiative, aimed at combatting and deterring wildlife crime and illegal wildlife trafficking. Key aspects discussed during the session included the proper procedures to follow when encountering wildlife crime incidents and species identification. Aaranyak received gratitude from the SSB for its participation and was encouraged to continue this stakeholder relationship to effectively collaborate in conservation efforts. Aaranyak, a leading biodiversity conservation organisation, has been consistently working towards fostering collaboration among various stakeholders, including Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) like the SSB, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), state police forces, customs officials, transport agencies, forest officials, and village defence organizations (VDOs). The goal is to combat the growing trend of wildlife crimes and protect the rich biodiversity of this frontier region of the country. The resource team at Aaranyaks has conducted numerous sensitisation workshops for these agencies and forces, emphasising the urgent need for collective action to tackle wildlife crimes and preserve India's diverse wildlife and bioresources. (ANI)
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