The Himachal Pradesh government recently sanctioned the forest department’s proposal to set up a wildlife forensic laboratory in the state.
In then wake of increasing wildlife-related crimes and to study the eating habits of wild animals, the forest department’s wildlife wing had proposed to set up a forensic lab at its animal rescue centre at Tuti Kandi in Shimla.
The government has urged the Wildlife Institute of India to prepare a detailed project report for setting up of the forensic lab. “Initially ₹5 lakh will be spent on setting up the forensic lab and once its established, it will be upgraded”, said a wildlife official, who requested anonymity.
In absence of its own forensic laboratory, the department is depended on the police central forensic laboratory at Junga and on the wildlife sciences laboratory at the Wildlife Institute of India,Dehradun.
The forest officials said that the laboratory is established will prove significant for genetic studies of animals particularly the rare ones which are on verge of extinction.
The state had been for long contemplating setting up its own wildlife forensic laboratory.