Forest officers get permanent posting at KIA to prevent wildlife trafficking

Bengaluru: For the first time, four Deputy Range Forest Officers will be deployed year-round at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to prevent wildlife trafficking.

This order came into force on January 26, in coordination with the Customs Department, after receiving permission from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, according to the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru Rural Division, Devanahalli.

"Earlier, most cases detected at the airport were booked under the Customs Act, which generally resulted in a limited scope for comprehensive investigation.

"With the presence of Forest Department officers, cases can now be registered under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This enables detailed investigation, including tracing backwards and forward linkages, dismantling organised trafficking networks, and identifying the actual kingpins, rather than restricting action to carriers or couriers," he said.

22 wildlife smuggling cases

In the past year, the Customs Department booked 22 cases for illegal import/export of wild animals from Southeast Asian countries, mainly Thailand and Malaysia.

Of these, 19 were imports and three exports. Commonly trafficked species include gibbons, iguanas, and various birds.