TL;DR: India recorded 7,529 wildlife crime cases under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 between 2014 and 2024. Registered cases peaked at 859 in 2016 before declining to 497 in 2024, a 35% fall from 2014. Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan accounted for more than half of all registered cases during the period, with 2,112 and 1,998 cases respectively. While the number of cases under investigation declined from its 2017 peak, the number of cases under trial and pending trial increased substantially over the decade.

Context

Wildlife in India faces threats from poaching, illegal hunting, trafficking and the unlawful possession or trade of protected animals and their parts. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides the legal framework for protecting wild animals, birds and plants in India, including provisions regulating hunting and activities involving protected wildlife. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) records cases registered under the Act as part of its crime statistics. Examining these records from 2014 to 2024 provides a picture of reported wildlife crime cases, their distribution across states, and how cases have progressed through police investigation and the courts.

Who Compiles This Data?
The data is sourced from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) through its Crime in India report, an annual compilation of crime statistics reported across India. The report covers a wide range of offences, including crimes registered under the Indian Penal Code/Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Special and Local Laws, along with data on crime registration, police investigation, chargesheeting, court trials and convictions.

Where can I download Clean & Structured Data on Wildlife Crime Cases?

Clean, structured and ready-to-use data on wildlife crime cases registered under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, along with police and court disposal data, is available through Dataful.

Key Insights

Registered Wildlife Crime Cases Have Declined by Over a Third Since 2014

India registered 7,529 cases under the Wild Life (Protection) Act between 2014 and 2024. The number of registered cases rose from 770 in 2014 to a peak of 859 in 2016, before declining over the following years. By 2024, a total of 497 cases were registered, 35% lower than in 2014 and 42.1% lower than the 2016 peak.

The decline was not continuous. Cases increased from 770 in 2014 to 829 in 2015 and 859 in 2016, followed by a gradual decline through 2019. Cases rose again from 618 in 2019 to 672 in 2020, before falling to 497 by 2024. These fluctuations show that the annual number of registered cases varied considerably during the period.

Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan Accounted for More Than Half of All Wildlife Crime Cases

The distribution of registered cases was highly concentrated among a few states. Uttar Pradesh recorded the most cases between 2014 and 2024 with 2,112 cases, followed by Rajasthan with 1,998 cases. Together, the two states accounted for about 54.6% of the 7,529 cases recorded nationally during the period. Assam followed with 526 cases, while Maharashtra and Karnataka recorded 519 and 391 respectively.

The NCRB figures represent registered cases, so the numbers may not accurately reflect the actual crime on the ground, as differences in reporting, detection and enforcement, in addition to the underlying occurrence of wildlife offences, affect these numbers. The NCRB data itself does not provide enough information to determine why particular states recorded more cases..

Cases Under Investigation Peaked in 2017, While Hundreds Remained Pending Every Year

The police investigation data shows that the total number of cases for investigation increased from 867 in 2014 to a peak of 1,226 in 2017, before falling to 839 in 2024. At the same time, cases pending investigation at the end of the year remained in the hundreds throughout the period. The number reached a high of 405 in 2016 and stood at 306 in 2024.

The chargesheeting rate also varied during the period. It was highest at 90.4% in 2015 and fell to 79.6% in 2016, the lowest value in the period. It subsequently remained above 80% in every year shown and reached 87.9% in 2024.

Cases Under Trial More Than Tripled Over the Decade, With Over 4,000 Still Pending in 2024

The court figures show a different pattern. Total cases for trial increased from 1,391 in 2014 to 4,546 in 2024, while cases pending trial at the end of the year increased from 1,274 to 4,196. This means the pending trial caseload was more than three times its 2014 level by 2024.

The conviction rate also fluctuated during the period. It fell from 62.1% in 2014 to 48.7% in 2020, the lowest recorded rate in the dataset, before increasing to 54% in 2021, 65.3% in 2022 and 75.8% in 2023. It stood at 75.1% in 2024.

The contrasting trends are noteworthy. While the annual number of registered wildlife crime cases declined after its 2016 peak, the number of cases under trial and the cases pending trial increased substantially over the same period. The data alone does not establish the reasons for this divergence, particularly because cases in the investigation and court systems can relate to cases from different years.

Why Does It Matter? 

A 35% decline in registered wildlife crime cases since 2014 does not, on its own, establish that wildlife crime itself has declined. Registered case counts can be influenced by factors such as detection, reporting and enforcement. At the same time, the justice-system data shows a substantial increase in the number of cases pending trial, from 1,274 in 2014 to 4,196 in 2024.

Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan together account for 54.6% of the decade’s registered cases, meaning changes in case registration in either state can have a substantial effect on the national total. Taken together, the data show two different patterns: registered cases declined after the 2016 peak, while the number of cases entering or remaining in the trial system increased substantially. The figures therefore highlight not only changes in case registration, but also the volume of cases being carried through the justice system.

Key Numbers (2014 to 2024)

• Total cases registered: 7,529

• Peak in registered cases: 859 in 2016

• Cases registered in 2024: 497

• Change from 2014 to 2024: 35% decline

• Highest cumulative cases: Uttar Pradesh, 2,112

• Second highest: Rajasthan, 1,998

• Cases pending investigation in 2024: 306

• Total cases for trial in 2024: 4,546

• Cases pending trial in 2024: 4,196

• Conviction rate in 2024: 75.1%