The Delhi government will remove the Wildlife SOS representative from its wildlife board and end departmental ties. The action follows poaching allegations and reported violations at facilities managed by the organisation.

The Delhi government will remove a representative of Wildlife SOS from its Board for Wildlife and end its association with the organisation, Environment Minister Sardar Manjinder Singh Sirsa told news agency Press Trust of India.The decision comes days after the representative was appointed to the board and follows allegations linking the Delhi-based non-governmental organisation to a leopard poaching network and violations of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, at facilities managed by it.Sirsa told PTI that Wildlife SOS had worked with the Delhi Forest Department on wildlife rescues since 2018. The proposal to appoint its representative to the board was moved in February 2026 and sent to the competent authority for final approval in July."It has now come to our knowledge that some cases were made in August 2026 in Madhya Pradesh relating to the NGO's alleged involvement in a wildlife crime.

In light of this, Wildlife SOS will be dropped from the Board, and its association with the Delhi Forest Department ends from today itself," Sirsa said. "A formal order to this effect will be issued. There will be no compromise on protecting wildlife," he added.The appointment came to light after the Department of Forest and Wildlife issued a gazette notification on October 23, constituting the Board for Wildlife for the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Under Section 8 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, a state wildlife board advises the government on matters including policies for the protection and conservation of wildlife and specified plants.Bhopal-based activist Ajay Dubey had earlier told PTI, "It is alarming to note that Mr Kartikey (Satyanarayan), CEO of the Wildlife SOS, has been booked by the Madhya Pradesh government and forest department in connection with serious leopard poaching allegations within the ecologically sensitive Kuno National Park landscape (cheetah reintroduction zone).""Inducting an organisation facing grave criminal allegations related to wildlife crime onto a state high-level statutory advisory body undermines public trust and subverts the purpose of the WPA," he added.Established in 1995, Wildlife SOS has launched several initiatives to protect India's endangered animals and natural habitats. Its work includes anti-poaching measures, rescue and rehabilitation facilities, and conservation of animals in their natural habitats.Media reports in August linked the organisation to an alleged leopard poaching case in Madhya Pradesh.

In September, the Madhya Pradesh High Court withdrew interim protection granted to Satyanarayan in the case. The Supreme Court later restored the protection.Satyanarayan rejected the allegations in a statement issued in August.

He said, "Our immensely celebrated efforts over the years in rescuing and eventual banning of dancing bears in India is just one of the many stories that we are proud of As torchbearers of India's wildlife and forest resources, we protect, we preserve, and we plan for the health and the welfare of creatures who are voiceless."In August, the Central Zoo Authority asked the chief wildlife wardens of six states and a Union Territory to inspect establishments managed by Wildlife SOS over alleged violations of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.According to Central Zoo Authority letters accessed by PTI, the alleged violations included operating as a zoo without mandatory approval or legal recognition, acquiring rescued wild animals without the required approval for long-term care, and failing to submit animal inventories within the prescribed deadlines.In a letter dated September 22, the authority directed Uttar Pradesh's chief wildlife warden to take appropriate action over a bear rescue facility in Agra managed by Wildlife SOS. The facility had allegedly operated for more than a year without renewal of its mandatory recognition.The facility also allegedly failed to report the acquisition of three sloth bears to the authority and did not disclose the source of their acquisition, among other violations.According to the letter, which was issued in response to the organisation's application to renew the facility's recognition, the establishment operates under a memorandum of understanding between Wildlife SOS and the Uttar Pradesh government's environment department.Responding to queries last month, Wildlife SOS told PTI that a year before the recognition was due for renewal, it had proposed adding a multi-species rescue centre after discussions with Uttar Pradesh's principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden.The organisation said it expected the Central Zoo Authority to consider the renewal of the Agra bear rescue facility and the proposed multi-species rescue centre together because correspondence on both matters was continuing."The alignment of the two processes led to the delay in submitting a separate renewal application for the said facility," Wildlife SOS said.The organisation also said the bears needed urgent medical treatment and were brought to the facility with prior written permission from the principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife wardens of the states concerned, in line with the applicable legal procedures and regulatory oversight.The Delhi government will now issue a formal order removing the Wildlife SOS representative from its wildlife board, while allegations related to the Madhya Pradesh poaching case and alleged violations at the organisation's facilities remain the basis for ending its association with the Delhi Forest Department.- Ends