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Fifty-six illegal wildlife trade incidents from various regions across the country have been collected using open-source intelligence (OSINT). The highest number of wildlife seizure incidents were reported from the states of Odisha (12), Maharashtra (8), and Tamil Nadu (8). Some of the commonly reported wildlife species in seizures were Asian Elephant, Leopard, Tiger, Parakeets, Munias, Monitor Lizard, Tortoise and Freshwater Turtles and many other exotic species.
Five illegal wildlife trade incidents were reported from countries such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Some of the commonly reported wildlife species in seizures were Asian Elephant, Python, Tortoise, and many other exotic bird species.
Important Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) news from India:
1. Five seizure incidents were reported from airports:
- Custom officials seized multiple species of wildlife at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Maharashtra. The media report mentions the seized species, which includes seven flame bowerbirds, two cottontop tamarin monkeys and a marmoset monkey concealed inside luggage. Of the seven birds, three were found dead. Two people who smuggled the consignment from Thailand were arrested. Link1 Link2 Link3 Link4
- Airport Commissionerate, Mumbai Customs Zone-III seized seven birds at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Maharashtra. The media report mentions the seized species, which includes one North Island Saddleback, two Magnificent Riflebird and four Lesser Bird of Paradise, concealed in baggage. Link1
Photo Credit: Mumbai Customs-III
- Custom officials seized 349 Common Green Iguanas, 53 Grand Cayman Blue Iguana at the Chennai International Airport, Tamil Nadu, concealed in two carton boxes within the luggage. 67 iguanas were found dead. The arrested individual who arrived from Bangkok by Thai Airways flight was a Bangaluru resident. Link1 Link2 Link3 Link4 Link5
Photo Credit: The New Indian Express
- Custom officials at the Chennai International Airport, Tamil Nadu, seized 138 Indian Star Tortoises concealed in a passenger's checked-in baggage who was travelling to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Link1 Link2
Photo Credit: Arvind Kumar Chaurasia
Additional Commissioner, Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes)
- Custom Officials arrested a Bangkok-bound passenger, seizing 427 live Indian Star Tortoise which were concealed in carton boxes at Chennai International Airport. Link1 Link2
2. Seizures involving native bird species that are illegally traded as pets:
- The Forest Department seized 736 bird species from at least two shops at Coat market, which is also known as Kabootar market, in Jama Masjid in central Delhi. The birds were kept in multiple small and big cages made of metal and plastics stacked in cramped spaces in the shops. The media report mentions the seized species, which includes 325 Scaly Breasted Munias, 190 Rose Ringed Parakeets, 123 Black Headed Munias, 39 Red Munias, 37 Alexandrine Parakeets, and 22 Plum Headed Parakeets. Link1 Link2 Link3
Photo Credit: Wildlife SOS
- In a joint operation, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and the Forest Department seized 500 hundred Scaly-breasted Munias, and five Chestnut Munias at Basti, Uttar Pradesh. Link1
Photo Credit: Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
- In a joint operation, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and the Forest Department seized bird species at Mourigram Rath-tala, Kolkata, West Bengal. The media report mentions the seized species, which includes three Rose Ringed Parakeet, six Chestnut Munia and 19 Scaly Breasted Munia. Link1
Photo Credit: Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
3. Three seizure incidents involving native bird species poached from Chilika lake, Odisha:
- The Odisha Forest Department seized 14 Purple Swamphen and one Watercock from Deipur in Chilika Wildlife Division. The birds were killed by poisoning for a village feast. Two individuals were arrested. Link1
- Wildlife officials seized 14 Purple Swamphen, two Lesser Whistling-duck, one Pheasant-tailed Jacana and one Bronze-winged Jacana, at Bidharpursahi near Bhusandpur under Tangi Forest Range of Chilika Wildlife Division. The birds were being carried to sell in the market. One individual was arrested. Link1
- Forest officials seized three Indian Spot-billed Ducks and one Pheasant-tailed Jacana concealed in a bag near Abhimanpur, Khordha. It is suspected that the birds were poached from Chilika lake. One individual was arrested. Link1 Link2
Other IWT Incidents involving native bird species:
Incident from Indonesia:
Custom Officials seized one live Lesser Bird-of-paradise, a Wilson's Bird-of-paradise, and an Asian Small-clawed Otter at Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Indonesia. A suspect of Indian nationality was arrested for trying to smuggle these exotic species to India via Indigo airlines. Link1 Link2 Link3 Link4
4. The Directorate Revenue of Intelligence (DRI) Mumbai Unit seized 8 metric tons of red sandalwood from the districts of Raigad, Ahmednagar, Nashik and Hyderabad. Initially, 6 metric tons of red sandalwood were seized from the Nhava Sheva port, concealed behind polished granite slabs and cement bricks for export. Link1
5. The West Bengal Forest Department seized a total of 28 Monocled Cobras sealed in earthen pitchers from two villages namely Gajipur and Damodarpur in East Midnapore. Two individuals were arrested. They had caught the snakes from a nearby locality to sell to buyers from different parts of the state. It is suspected that the case is related to the smuggling of snake poison. Link1
Photo Credit: Millennium Post
6. The Punjab Forest Department seized 38 suspected Bear biles's, 158 genitalia of Monitor Lizard, 1.498 kg of Organ Pipe Coral, 69 Sea Fans, 4.814 kg of Gorgonian Coral and 400 Common Skink from a firm located in Majith Mandi, Amritsar's renowned wholesale dry fruit market. The trade in illegal wildlife products is suspected to be associated with occult practices. Link1 Link2
Photo Credit: Wildlife Trust of India
7. The Delhi Police seized 50 Indian roofed turtles, 45 black pond or spotted pond turtles, three Indian eyed turtles and two Indian softshell turtles near northeast Delhi’s Geeta Colony. One person was arrested. The Police were deployed near Raja Ram Kohli Marg at the Pusta Road in Geeta Colony after receiving a tip-off from some animal activists who had posed as decoy customers and ordered the turtles online from the accused on WhatsApp and Telegram. The turtles were being carried on a two-wheeler, stacked in a big black bag. The accused have been smuggling turtle species for five to six months from the Ganga stretch in Garhmukteshwar area called Garh Ganga and from other subsidiary rivers. Link1 Link2 Link3 Link4
Photo Credit: Hindustan Times
Other tortoise and freshwater turtle IWT incidents:
8. Based on a tip-off, the Forest Department seized 7 tusks weighing around 100 kg in Mayurbhanj District, Odisha. The suspects later confessed to having collected the tusks four years ago after poaching the elephants in the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Balasore District, Odisha. Further investigations are on to identify more suspects involved in the trade. Link1 Link2
Other Elephant IWT Incidents:
Photo Credit: Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
Other IWT news: