"DRI Seizes Protected Wildlife Across Six Operations Nationwide"
Schedule I (Wildlife Protection Act, 1972)
The highest protection category; prohibits all hunting, possession, and trade of listed species.
CITES Appendix I
Lists species facing extinction risk; bans all commercial international trade.
India's wildlife protection framework rests on two pillars. The first is the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which classifies species into schedules based on the degree of protection they require. Schedule I confers the highest level of protection available under Indian law, the same level afforded to the tiger. Hunting, possession, trade, and transportation of Schedule I species or their derivatives are all prohibited, and violations attract the most severe penalties under the Act. The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans), the pangolin, the leopard, the tokay gecko, and the tiger are all Schedule I species. The Indian star tortoise is naturally found in India and is also trafficked internationally for the exotic pet trade because of its distinctive shell pattern.
The second pillar is India's membership of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the principal international treaty regulating cross-border wildlife trade. CITES classifies species across three appendices. Appendix I bans all commercial international trade in the most threatened species. Appendix II allows regulated trade with permits, covering species not yet threatened with extinction but at risk if trade is uncontrolled. Pangolins are listed under CITES Appendix I, reflecting their status as the most heavily trafficked mammals in the world. Tokay geckos are listed under CITES Appendix II. India's domestic law aligns with these international obligations, making possession and trade of these species cognisable offences.
Enforcement involves multiple agencies. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), established in 1957 under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), is India's apex smuggling-enforcement agency. Its customs jurisdiction and intelligence-led approach make it effective at intercepting wildlife contraband moving through commercial channels and inter-state routes. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) provides species identification support and coordinates intelligence across agencies. State forest departments handle on-ground investigation and prosecution under the Wildlife (Protection) Act after DRI hands over seized material and accused persons.
Wildlife trafficking operates across a spectrum of forms. Live animals are trafficked for the exotic pet trade. Skins and pelts are sought for fashion and display. Scales, bones, and other body parts are trafficked primarily for use in traditional medicine in parts of Asia. Pangolin scales, for instance, are composed of keratin, the same protein as human fingernails, yet command high prices in illegal markets because of unverified medicinal claims. Tiger bones are similarly sought for traditional medicine. This demand-side driver, concentrated in East and Southeast Asia, sustains trafficking networks that source animals from South Asia, including India.
The pangolin's biology makes it particularly vulnerable. When threatened, the pangolin rolls up into a tight ball, protecting its soft underbelly with its hard scales. This defence works against natural predators but makes it easy for poachers to pick up and bag the animal. The same biological trait that the 2021 UPSC Prelims tested, that the pangolin (along with the hedgehog) rolls up to protect vulnerable parts, is directly relevant to understanding why pangolins are so easily poached despite being legally protected. …
In India, if a species of tortoise is declared protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, what does it imply?
Consider the following:
1.Star tortoise
2.Monitor lizard
3.Pygmy hog
4.Spider monkey
Which of the above are naturally found in India?
Consider the following animals:
1.Hedgehog
2.Marmot
3.Pangolin
To reduce the chance of being captured by predators, which of the above rolls up/roll up and protects/protect its/their vulnerable parts?
Which one of the following groups of animals belongs to the category of endangered species?
Consider the following statements regarding the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972:
1.A species listed under Schedule I enjoys the same level of protection as the tiger.
2.Schedule I listing implies that the species is endemic to a particular region of India.
3.Trade, possession, and transportation of Schedule I species or their derivatives are prohibited without exception.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Consider the following species and their classification under CITES:
1.Pangolin — Appendix I
2.Tokay Gecko — Appendix II
3.Indian Star Tortoise — Appendix I
4.Asian Elephant — Appendix II
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Which of the following animals rolls up into a ball to protect its vulnerable parts from predators?
1.Hedgehog
2.Marmot
3.Pangolin
4.Monitor Lizard
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Consider the following animals naturally found in India:
1.Indian Star Tortoise
2.Monitor Lizard
3.Pygmy Hog
4.Spider Monkey
5.Tokay Gecko
Which of the above are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972?
With reference to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), consider the following statements:
1.It functions under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
2.It is India's apex agency for investigating money laundering offences.
3.Its customs jurisdiction makes it effective at intercepting wildlife contraband moving through inter-state trade routes.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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