HYDERABAD: Telangana has set a national benchmark in wildlife protection, becoming one of the few states to report zero cases of wildlife trafficking in both 2023 and 2024 - a sharp drop from 44 cases in 2020, according to official data released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Lok Sabha.
“This turnaround is the result of sustained vigilance and coordinated enforcement. We have strengthened patrolling, tightened surveillance at vulnerable points and built strong coordination with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)”, said Shankaran, a senior official of the State Forest department.
Awareness and community participation have also played a crucial role. “Villages near forests are our first line of defence. People are now reporting suspicious activity, which has helped us prevent trafficking before it happens,” said Rohith, an official.
Officials note that the WCCB has played a crucial role in supporting the state with actionable intelligence, cross-border coordination and specialised training. Between 2020 and 2025, more than 800 training sessions for enforcement agencies and nearly 13 awareness campaigns were conducted nationwide, many of which directly benefitted Telangana’s frontline teams.
In contrast, other states continue to grapple with higher numbers. West Bengal reported 73 cases in 2024, making it one of the hotspots of wildlife trafficking. Uttar Pradesh registered 30 cases in the same year, while Tamil Nadu accounted for 22. Even Andhra Pradesh, despite showing an overall declines, reported 17 cases in 2024.
Conservation experts note that while the challenge remains serious at the national level, Telangana’s progress offers hope. “The state has shown how consistent monitoring and people’s participation can turn the tide. If replicated elsewhere, this approach can help reduce trafficking nationwide,” said Prasanna Kumar, a conservationist.