Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is a statutory body of the Central Government that supports coordinated action against organized wildlife crime and trafficking. Its mandate combines intelligence collection, inter-agency coordination, enforcement capacity building and policy advice rather than replacing the primary enforcement responsibilities of state authorities.

Statutory basis

The Bureau is constituted by the Central Government under Section 38Y of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Its statutory powers and functions are specified in Section 38Z, inserted through the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006.

Intelligence and enforcement coordination

• It collects and collates intelligence concerning organized wildlife crime, disseminates it to states and enforcement agencies, and facilitates action against offenders.
• It establishes and maintains a centralized wildlife crime data bank.
• It coordinates enforcement action among officers, state governments and other authorities responsible for implementing the Act.
• It assists foreign authorities and international organizations in coordinating action against wildlife crime.

Capacity building and policy support

The Bureau strengthens the quality of wildlife-crime enforcement and advises the Union Government on offences having wider ramifications.

• It develops infrastructure and enforcement capacity for scientific and professional investigation of wildlife offences.
• It assists state governments in securing successful prosecution of wildlife-crime cases.
• It advises the Central Government on wildlife crimes with national or international ramifications and on related policies and laws.