RESEARCH ARTICLE

EVALUATION OF RAIDS AND SUBSEQUENT COURT PROCEDURE CONDUCTED BY WILDLIFE FIELD OFFICERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Abstract

The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) is the prime authority vested with the responsibility of conserving the wildlife resources of Sri Lanka. The main objective of the DWC is to ensure the long term protection of the wildlife heritage through sustainable development, for the future generations.

The main task and responsibility of the DWC is implementation of the National Wildlife Policy and enforcement of the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance (FFPO) to achieve this objective. The hon. minister of Wildlife is empowered to declare wildlife protected areas while prescribed officers appointed under the above ordinance including the Wildlife Conservation Director General is empowered for enforcement. Legal provisions for the protection of animals and plants were introduced since the late 19th century, (in the years 1891, 1893, 1894, 1902, 1905, 1906, 1909). The FFPO was enacted in 1937 and it was subsequently amended in 1942, 1944, 1945, 1945, 1964, 1970, 1993 and 2009. At present, this ordinance has been strengthened to provide the fullest protection for the wildlife heritage of Sri Lanka.

In this study, the records of the raids conducted by wildlife field officers and subsequent court proceedings were evaluated in order to identify the factors effected their failures. For this study, the court cases handled by the Minneriya National Park office and the Polonnaruwa range office in the Polonnaruwa Administrative Region of DWC were evaluated. The recent raids conducted by these two stations as well as the subsequent court proceedings which were successfully / unsuccessfully concluded, had been analyzed, in order to identify the reasons for failures.

Keywords: wildlife crime, Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance, court procedure, Minneriya National Park

How to Cite: Upali Kumarathunga,, (2018). EVALUATION OF RAIDS AND SUBSEQUENT COURT PROCEDURE CONDUCTED BY WILDLIFE FIELD OFFICERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT.WILDLANKA, 6(3):Pages 108-117

Published On:2018-09-30

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