An orientation program for the members of the newly constituted State Board for Wildlife of West Bengal was organized by the Wildlife Wing on 13.01.2012 at Aranya Bhavan. The new Board members got to acquaint themselves with the legal aspects of the Wildlife conservation and the enforcement initiatives.

Elephant Census operation for 2010 in South West Bengal at the Mayurjharna Elephant Reserve was conducted from 22nd to 24th April,2010, simultaneously with the adjoining states of Orissa and Jharkhand.

The estimated population of elephants in South Bengal is 118 nos. The Forest Division-wise break up is as follows:

Panchet Divn-              4 nos.
Bankura(N) Divn-         15 nos.
Medinipur Divn-           77 nos.
Purulia Divn-               12 nos
Rupnarayan Divn.          1 no.
Kharagpur Divn.            3 nos.
Jhargram Divn              6 nos.

To meet the twin objective of reducing Man-animal conflict in Burdwan and Bankura Districts, simultaneously with the increasing of prey-base to contain tiger straying in the Sunderbans, the Wildlife Wing has come up with a novel idea. The boar population which are creating problems by raiding crop-fields in the Bankura and Burdwan districts are now been captured and translocated to the Sunderbans, where these population are utilised in captive breeding of wild boars for subsequent release into the forests to augment the prey-base for tigers and hence help in containing the straying incidences of tigers into the locality.

A study on the possibilities of re-introduction of pygmy hog in the Gorumara National Park has been entrusted to the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI). The study is to be completed within 3 years, consequent to which the ZSI is to submit a report with its recommendations in the matter.

Vulture populations have dwindled over the last decade and efforts are afoot to rejuvenate them through vulture Conservation Breeding Centre. Recently, sightings of these birds have been reported from Gorumara National Park (during February and March, 2010), MB-1(P) Compartment under the Kodalbasti Range (during December 2009) and Patlakhawa, Tekonia and Daibhangi forests under the Mathabhanga-I Range. Himalayan Griffons have been reported to have been sighted from the West Range of the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary and near Jaldapara village under the Jaldapara (East) Range.
There are also reports of sightings of Gangetic Dolphins from the Rydak and Sankosh Rivers.
Pied Hornbill has also been reported from the Maithon area.

As per the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972 the Chief Wildlife Warden, West Bengal has appointed 23 Hony. Wildlife Wardens for each of the districts in the state. The  Hony. Wildlife Wardens are selected from community leaders and other persons of standing with an interest and capacity to render assistance in ensuring People's participation in the support for the cause of Wildlife Conservation. The Hony. Wildlife Wardens have definite role in the mobilization of support towards the control of poaching and clandestine trade in live animals and wildlife articles, identification and protection of lesser known wildlife refuges, sensitizing the people living around the Protected Areas for ameliorating man-animal conflicts etc.

West Bengal Forest Department is credited for initiating the Participatory Joint Forest Management Approach. The concept succeeded not only in enhancing the green cover percentage for the state against overall global trend of reduction of the same, but also helped immensely in mitigating man-animal conflict in vulnerable areas of South West Bengal and the Sunderbans.

With an objective to combat the illegitimate trade in live birds and turtle, the Wildlife Wing decided to generate awareness among the general citizens on a participatory mode. A theatre performance group, "Manthan, the achievement" was commissioned to stage street plays enscripting the message of conservation of urban wildlife at select market places in and around Kolkata.

The move was further accentuated by means of distribution of posters and pamphlets that bore the conservation message. The total public interface was carried on a decentralized mode with a top-down approach, interacting with them face to face. 10 such interactive programs was carried out from January 30th to February 14,2010.

A comprehensive estimation of tiger, co-predator, prey base and their habitats is being conducted in all the 17 tiger Range states of India to ascertain the status of tiger occupancy, both within and outside the Protected Areas. This new approach, being conducted in collaboration with the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Ministry of Environment and Forests and Wildlife Institute of India, would not only  undertake estimation of the tigers and co-predators but would also evaluate their habitats and prey-bases. A Forest Beat is being considered to be the unit for this study.
In West Bengal, efforts are being made to complete the Phase I data collection work in the plains by 31.03.2010 and by 30.04.2010 in the high altitude inaccessible areas like Darjeeling, Singhalila and Neora Valley National Park.

The Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) in north Bengal finally had its moment to cheers when a beat officer photographed a sub-adult tiger with a film camera — a first since the reserve was set up 27 years ago.
Senior State Forest department officials were “excited” as the news confirms the presence of Tiger in the Reserve.
Manindra Sarkar was in the Hatipota forest area on March 24 when he came face-to-face with the tiger. Although shaken, he pulled out his camera and clicked two pictures of the animal, said reserve field director R.P. Saini. “A camera trap was set up in the area as there had been a recent kill there, but the animal was not caught on automated cameras,” he said.
Reserve authorities are hopeful of reconverting the cultivated land of the 10 villages that are to be relocated from the reserve, he added.