Delhi's lone wildlife inspector to get colleagues as govt notifies 9 posts

Wildlife inspectors handle human-animal conflict, curb trafficking, and support rescue operations for injured animals.

The Capital has been struggling with field-level forest efforts as it had only one designated wildlife inspector, against the need for at least 8 more, until Thursday—when the Delhi government notified nine wildlife inspector posts, comprising eight newly carved out posts, to plug a longstanding manpower gap, officials aware of the matter said.

The move to strengthen the manpower comes amid rising wildlife sightings and human-animal conflict in the Capital.

Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the decision will strengthen field-level enforcement and conservation efforts.

“Deploying wildlife inspectors across Delhi’s field divisions is a pivotal reform. It equips our teams to safeguard wildlife, curb poaching, and resolve conflicts proactively,” he said.

A senior forest official, who did not wish to be named, confirmed that until now, the department had just one sanctioned wildlife inspector post at its headquarters, with none deployed across its four field divisions, severely limiting on-ground response.

“With just one wildlife inspector for the entire Capital, it was practically impossible for him to be at multiple spots at once. For instance, for the leopard spotted in Jagatpur last year, we needed the wildlife inspector to be there,” the official said.

Wildlife inspectors are tasked with handling human-animal conflict, checking wildlife trafficking, and assisting in rescue operations involving injured animals.

Officials said the newly notified posts fall under Level-6 of the pay matrix and are in line with the amendments to recruitment rules cleared by the lieutenant governor.

Of the nine posts, eight are going to be filled through direct recruitment by the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSB).

The development in the matter comes amid increasing instances of wildlife sightings and conflict in the Capital, particularly along the Ridge and Yamuna floodplains, where urban expansion has encroached upon natural wildlife habitats.

This included multiple sightings of a leopard in north Delhi’s Jagatpur village last year.

More recently, HT, on March 30, reported a second possible wolf sighting in north Delhi’s Palla, near the Yamuna. Another suspected wolf hybrid was spotted in May 2025.

Officials said the addition of dedicated personnel in field divisions is expected to improve response time, better enforcement against illegal activities, and help in biodiversity management, marking a step towards strengthening Delhi’s urban conservation framework.