Jalpaiguri: A year after scripting what was described as a national record in wildlife crime convictions, the Jaldapara Wildlife Division continued its run in 2025-26, securing convictions of 22 accused in 13 separate cases, reinforcing its position as one of India’s most successful forest divisions in converting wildlife crime investigations into convictions.In 2024-25, when Jaldapara secured convictions in 17 cases, including eight involving wildlife crimes, a milestone that was widely recognised as a record for any wildlife division in the country.Of the 22 convictions during 2025-26, 13 convictions span offences involving some of India’s most threatened wildlife as well as forest produce. Among the cases were trafficking and possession of rhino horn, elephant tusks, leopard skin, pangolin skin and scales, live pangolins, live tokay geckos, deer meat and antlers, besides three cases involving illegal timber transportation under the Indian Forest Act.“The most significant judgement came on Oct 29, 2025, when a Jalpaiguri court sentenced a repeat rhino poacher to seven years’ imprisonment along with a Rs 1 lakh fine for rhino horn trafficking. The sentence is among the toughest awarded under the amended Wildlife (Protection) Act and reflects the courts’ increasingly stringent approach towards organised wildlife crime,” said Parveen Kaswan, divisional forest officer, Jaldapara WildlifeDivision.Another major conviction involved trafficking of leopard skin, where the accused received five years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000.Several convictions targeted the illegal trade in lesser-known but highly trafficked species, including live tokay geckos, live pangolins, pangolin skin and scales, deer meat, cooked venison and deer antlers.The Jaldapara NationalPark, home to nearly 331 greater one-horned rhinoceroses, lies close to the international border and has historically remained vulnerable to organised poaching and wildlife trafficking.While anti-poaching patrols, drones, camera traps and intelligence gathering have significantly reduced poaching incidents, officials believe convictions create the strongest long-term deterrence by ensuring offenders face meaningful punishment rather than prolonged litigation.“This is the first time in four years that zero poaching was recorded in Jaldapara ,” Kaswan added.
