Jharkhand Forest Department Rescues 30 Parakeets After PETA India Complaint

Acting on a complaint by PETA India, the Jamshedpur Forest Division of the Jharkhand Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change rescued 30 parakeets, including plum-headed and Alexandrine parakeets, from an illegal, makeshift pet shop functioning from the footpath of Karim City College Road in Jamshedpur. After receiving a tip-off from a concerned citizen, PETA India fired off a formal complaint to Jamshedpur Forest Division requesting that the birds be rescued and the pet shop owner be booked. A preliminary offence report was registered against the alleged perpetrator under relevant sections of the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972.

Following their rescue, the birds were sent for a health check, treatment, and temporary rehabilitation. They will be released in nature once their recovery is complete. Both plum-headed and Alexandrine parakeets are protected under Schedule II of the WPA, 1972. Buying, selling, or possessing these species is an offence punishable by a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh, a jail term of up to three years, or both. Endangered wildlife are also protected internationally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Endangered species protected under CITES are also protected under Schedule IV of the WPA, 1972.

In the illegal bird trade, countless birds are taken from their families and denied everything that’s natural and important to them so that they can be sold as “pets” or used as bogus fortune-tellers. Fledglings are often snatched from their nests, and others panic as they’re caught in traps or nets that can seriously injure or kill them as they struggle to break free. Captured birds are packed into small boxes, and an estimated 60% of them die in transit from broken wings and legs, thirst, or sheer panic. Those who survive face a bleak life in captivity, suffering from malnutrition, loneliness, depression, and stress.

The WPA, 1972, bans the capture, caging, and trading of indigenous birds, and non-compliance can result in imprisonment, a fine, or both. In addition, caging birds violates The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which stipulates that it’s illegal to keep or confine any animal in any cage or other receptacle that doesn’t provide them with a reasonable opportunity for movement – and for an aerial bird, that includes flight.