The Sirmour Forest Department's rapid response team raided a house in Ghutanpur village, recovering the remains of wild animals, including a leopard skin, leading to two arrests and highlighting ongoing poaching concerns in the region.
A special audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed that Odisha's forest and environment department sidestepped central guidelines, procuring and customising Mahindra Thar SUVs worth 17 crore from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for forest protection, despite the funds being earmarked for 'preparedness and capacity building'.
A forest department team in Hoshiarpur was allegedly fired upon by suspected khair wood smugglers during an operation. While the accused escaped, officials managed to seize a vehicle loaded with illegally felled khair wood. The incident highlights the dangers faced by forest personnel and the lucrative nature of khair wood smuggling, which is believed to be operated by an inter-state network.
A forest department team in Hoshiarpur was allegedly fired upon by suspected khair wood smugglers during an operation. While the accused escaped, officials managed to seize a vehicle loaded with illegally felled khair wood. The incident highlights the dangers faced by forest personnel and the lucrative nature of khair wood smuggling, which is believed to be operated by an inter-state network.
A forest guard in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district has been suspended and arrested for allegedly misbehaving with and assaulting three women Van Mitras while on duty.
Five forest department personnel were injured in Madhya Pradesh's Dewas district after villagers allegedly attacked an anti-encroachment team. Four individuals have been arrested, and a case has been registered under relevant laws.
A forest department employee was allegedly hacked to death with an axe in the Tanda forest in Haldwani following an argument with his associate, police said.
Six forest personnel, including a range officer, were injured in an attack by suspected timber smugglers in North Tripura. Two Forest Department vehicles were also damaged in the incident.
A group of suspected poachers allegedly opened fire at a forest department patrolling team in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) before fleeing. The forest department recovered a motorcycle and a wild boar carcass from the scene.
Police in Chamba district have launched an investigation after a Forest Department team was attacked with stones while transporting seized timber. The incident occurred on the Kaljel-Bajli link road, resulting in damage to a vehicle but no injuries.
An elephant undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in an IED blast, allegedly triggered by Maoists in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, has died.
A tigress was found dead in Chandrapur, Maharashtra, shortly after critically injuring a forest guard during an operation to move her and her cubs away from a village.
The Forest Department in Bahraich is employing innovative tactics to capture an elusive wolf, which it believes is the sixth and last remaining of the pack that has instilled fear among locals with several attacks in the last few months.
A 28-year-old man was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Chhattisgarh's Surajpur district. The incident has sparked outrage among local villagers, who are demanding compensation and government jobs for the victim's family.
A forest official in Karnataka is under investigation after a video surfaced allegedly showing him demanding a bribe from a farmer who suffered crop damage due to a wild elephant attack.
A District Forest Officer in Tripura is under investigation after a large sum of cash was recovered at Agartala railway station from a relative, leading to a raid on the officer's residence.
A forest department patrol team in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve was allegedly attacked by suspected timber smugglers and villagers, resulting in injuries to five forest officials. Villagers have accused the forest department team of assault.
Six individuals, including a professional shooter, have been arrested in Telangana for illegally hunting wild animals using airguns in the Shadnagar and Makthal forest areas.
Two forest officials in Kerala were arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe to exclude individuals from a case involving the killing of a monitor lizard.
A group of khair smugglers in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, attempted to crush a forest department team after being intercepted. The smugglers were arrested and a case has been registered against them.
A Goa forest department official has filed a police complaint against state minister Subhash Phal Desai, alleging he obstructed officials and facilitated the illegal transportation of soil from a protected forest area. The complaint details the excavation and uprooting of trees, while the minister claims the soil was for a sports ground.
Forest personnel in Maharashtra have captured a cub of tigress T2, which killed four women in Chandrapur district. Efforts are underway to trap her three other cubs.
A 44-year-old man was killed in an elephant attack near Kotagiri in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. The incident occurred as the man was walking to his village, prompting a police investigation and a safety advisory from the forest department.
Rajasthan's forest department is implementing an AI-based surveillance system across its wildlife sanctuaries to enhance anti-poaching efforts and monitor animal movement. The system, utilising thermal cameras, drones, and advanced software, provides 24x7 monitoring, helps prevent human-wildlife conflict through real-time alerts, and strengthens the fight against wildlife crime. Installations are being rolled out in phases across key protected areas, with advanced cameras capable of identifying individual animals and suspicious activities.
Two women were found dead in a forest in Jharkhand's Latehar district after reportedly being attacked by a wild bison.
Forest authorities in Thane, Maharashtra, are investigating two incidents of monkeys being shot with arrows in the Yeoor forest and are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the culprits.
Customs officials at Mumbai international airport intercepted an Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok with 29 exotic wild animals, including a gibbon, melanistic squirrel, ball python, and iguana. A rescue team was called to identify and stabilise the animals, which will be repatriated to their country of origin.
Meghalaya's Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has announced that the state government will review objections raised by pressure groups and villagers regarding the proposed limestone mining project in Jaintia Hills district.
A 60-year-old man was killed by a leopard in Kamand village, Pauri Garhwal, while collecting fodder. Villagers protested the delayed response from authorities.
The Forest Department in Palakkad, Kerala, has launched a search operation following the suspected killing of a cow by a leopard in Kanjikode. The incident occurred near forest land, prompting officials to investigate and consider further measures like camera traps and cage traps.
An elderly man was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Bihar's Nawada district. The elephant also damaged several houses, causing panic among local residents. Forest officials are working to drive the tusker back into the forest.
An FIR has been registered against five individuals, including the Director of the National Sugar Institute (NSI) in Kanpur, for the alleged illegal felling and uprooting of over 600 trees on the institute's campus. The case was filed after a complaint by a Regional Forest Officer, and an inspection revealed extensive unauthorised tree cutting over several months. Police have confirmed an ongoing investigation into the matter.
Researchers have discovered that Delhi's urban forests are significant carbon sinks, storing substantial amounts of carbon in trees and soil, with the potential to generate revenue through carbon credits. The study highlights the importance of preserving and expanding these forests to combat climate change.
India's first satellite-tagged Ganges soft-shell turtle released in Kaziranga.
A man-made forest created by Padma Shri awardee Jadav Payeng, known as 'Forest Man of India', was substantially damaged after miscreants set it on fire. An investigation has been ordered.
Three people were injured in two suspected wild elephant attacks in Palakkad, Kerala. These incidents follow two recent fatalities in Wayanad and Idukki. In response, the Kerala government has decided to establish a 500-member Special Reserve Force to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
Severed legs of a man were discovered inside the Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district. Locals suspect a tiger attack, but forest officials are investigating the cause of death.
Two men in Pithoragarh have been booked after a video surfaced on social media showing them chasing a porcupine to death. The forest department took action following a complaint from PETA.
The Uttarakhand Special Task Force and the Forest Department have arrested two suspected wildlife smugglers with ivory worth Rs 1.5 crore in Udham Singh Nagar district.
A 48-year-old man was killed by a tiger in the buffer zone of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur district, Maharashtra, while collecting firewood.
