Mumbai, March 18 -- Emphasising the rising complexity of offences against wildlife, conservationist and naturalist Rohan Bhate Shah has proposed the creation of a specialised Wildlife Crime Control Division in Maharashtra, taking inspiration from Kerala's Hostile Activity Watch Kernel (HAWK) and Forest Intelligence Cell (FIC).
Rohan, who previously served as an Honorary Wildlife Warden and is based in Karad in Satara district, has written to the Nagpur-based Chief Wildlife Warden-cum-Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife). In his representation, he pointed out that wildlife crime has now become highly organised, involving illegal hunting, trade in wildlife products, and trafficking networks that often operate across state as wel...