Kohima: Forty enforcement officials gathered in Dimapur on August 28 for a workshop on Wildlife Article Identification. The training aimed to boost the ability of local agencies to spot and stop illegal wildlife trade. The list of participants included members from the Forest and Police departments, the Excise and Prohibition Department, the CISF, and the CRPF 173 and 78 Battalions. Personnel from the 15 Assam Rifles, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Airport Authority, and Railway Protection Force also attended the one-day event.
Dr. C Zupeni Tsanglai, the Wildlife Warden of Dimapur, opened the session. She pushed for better teamwork between departments. "Illegal wildlife trade could not be effectively addressed by one agency alone," Tsanglai noted. The program was built by the Wildlife Trust of India and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, with help from the Nagaland Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Wildlife Division of Dimapur and the Pangolin Crisis Fund also provided support.
Experts from the WTI and WCCB led the instruction. Monesh Singh Tomar from WTI covered the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Nippon Baisnab of the WCCB Eastern Region showed the group how to spot common wildlife contraband. Head Constable Robin Borah provided hands-on demonstrations using real specimens. The organizers tagged Dimapur as a key transit point for smugglers. Coordinating the event were H Anato Sema and L Nelina Mohbo.
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