In areas where wildlife crime is endemic, careful analysis of information from a crime may provide vital links to other cases. This led WPSI to decide to undertake a comprehensive and collaborative study on the control of wildlife poaching and illegal trade in selected areas.

Initially, in the mid 1990’s, the States of West Bengal and Maharashtra were chosen. West Bengal lies along India’s porous eastern border, and WPSI had received information about a large volume of illegal wildlife trade in the state. Maharashtra, stretching into central India, had also reported a large number of seizures of illegal wildlife products.

During the course of the study, WPSI helped the state governments of these two states to set up wildlife crime databases. The databases are now extensively used and updated by the State Forest Departments. The state governments are implementing many of the recommendations made during the study, such as having an organised data collection system for wildlife crime.