Exotic species of birds and animals are often cruelly captured and sold on the black market by smugglers. But stories of these poachers and smugglers being nabbed come as a great relief. For instance, some Rajasthan teens fought off armed poachers to protect wildlife, and when an elephant along with lions teamed up to kill a rhino poacher.
As per a report in Times Now, the Assam Forest Department intercepted a truck in Lailapur, Guwahati on suspicion of a foul smell emanating from it. The driver tried to pass it off as “rotten fruit”.
Shockingly, crates of exotic animals like a red kangaroo, 6 blue macaws, 3 Aldabra tortoises from Seychelles islands, and 2 capuchin monkeys from South America were found. They were rescued and bought to Guwahati Zoo for safekeeping, but it was baffling how a kangaroo, which is mainly indigenous to Australia, landed up here.
In yet another major success in rescue of wildlife, Officials of Cachar Forest Division, Silchar intercepted a vehicle …
Posted by Cachar Forest Division on Tuesday, July 28, 2020
The Hindu reports that two people, who identify as Narsimha Reddy and Navnath Tukaram Daigude have been arrested and interrogated to find their “forward and backward linkages” in this wildlife smuggling racket. The accused had also been previously arrested in 2018 by DRI in Kolkata. They were caught with over 40 exotic wildlife species. Their plan was to smuggle them to Pune and other parts of Maharashtra as well.
“According to the stamps and seals on the cartons in which the animals were caged, it was found that the consignment was coming from Thailand via Myanmar and Mizoram. As soon as it reached Assam (Lailapur Forest Sub Beat) the forest department seized the truck,” a senior forest official said, under anonymity.
My heartiest congratulations to the forest officials of Cachar Forest Division who have successfully tracked down & seized an illegal consignment of endangered exotic species including macaws, kangaroo & monkeys enroute to Guwahati. We are alert & active 24X7 to curb such trades pic.twitter.com/PbeeFxgHLG
— Parimal Suklabaidya (@ParimalSuklaba1) July 29, 2020
As per the initial investigation, it has been deduced that these animals had been brought from farms in Thailand where they are bred, even though such kangaroos are originally indigenous to Australia and South America, Guwahati Plus reports. From Thailand, they would go through Myanmar, and then reach Cacher via Mizoram. The consignment was to finally reach pet shops in cities like Kolkata,
“Against the backdrop of the novel coronavirus pandemic and its connection to wet markets, exotic species and illegal wildlife trade, it’s high time we end such practices of keeping pet to this exotic wildlife. Let them live in their natural habitat,” says D. Deori, Forest Range Officer of Hawaithang Range.
It is lamentable that there are still many wealthy people in India who purchase such exotic species for rearing or consumption. We hope that this changes soon, and we all learn how to respect and protect animals.