Workshop on Wildlife Protection Act

A two-day capacity-building workshop on the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 was conducted in Kohima for forest and police personnel, aimed at strengthening wildlife crime enforcement and inter-departmental coordination in Nagaland fromAugust 28-29, 2025.
Organised by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration with Kohima Forest Division and Kohima Police Department, and supported by the Pangolin Crisis Fund (PCF), the workshop saw participation from 23 officers including Assistant Sub-Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors, Foresters and Forest Range Officers.
The sessions covered key topics such as wildlife crime trends in India, legal provisions under the Wildlife Protection Act including recent amendments, identification of wildlife contraband, and best practices for investigation and prosecution. Special focus was given to pangolin conservation, with the species identified as one of the most trafficked mammals globally and requiring urgent protection in Nagaland. Divisional Forest Officer, Kohima, Sevono Seletsu, inaugurated the workshop and emphasized the need for collaborative efforts between forest and police departments to combat wildlife crime effectively. Training was facilitated by Lovish Sharma, Advocate at Delhi High Court, and Monesh Singh Tomar, Assistant Manager at WTI, with support from Chingrisoror Rumthao, Field Officer, WTI.
Participants described the workshop as timely and practical, noting that it provided valuable insights to enhance enforcement capabilities. Speaking at the closing, Tomar highlighted Nagaland’s strategic role in curbing illegal wildlife trade and stressed the importance of building frontline capacity to ensure successful prosecution of offences. The workshop marked a significant step towards coordinated action and improved enforcement mechanisms to protect wildlife in the state.