Page 99 - SMUGGLING IN INDIA REPORT FOR 2020-2021

CHAPTER 4: COMBATING WILDLIFE SMUGGLING AND TRANSBORDER ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES 53
India is also seeing an increasing trend in the demand for exotic species especially as pets. In January 2020, the Government issued an advisory to streamline the process for import and possession of exotic live species in India; Many citizens In India have kept CITES (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species) listed animals as pet and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change took a decision to collect stock information from the holders of such species through voluntary
disclosures. News media reports indicate that more than 32,000 Indians have made a disclosure of possessing exotic pets by February of 2021. There is also an increased activity in the utilization of Social media such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and other websites for sale of the exotic species.
In June 2020, the DRI, Kolkata Zonal Unit busted a major wildlife smuggling syndicate and seized 22 exotic birds which were being illegally brought into India from Bangladesh. The seized birds included 1 Hyacinth Macaw, 1 Pesquet’s Parrot (aka Dracula Parrot), 11 Hahn’s Macaws and 9 Severe Macaws. The birds were found to be ‘highly priced’ in the illicit market, for example a pair of Hyacinth Macaw fetched upto Rs 40 Lakh.