Parakeets Seized at New Delhi Railway Station After Compassionate Whistleblower Sounded the Alarm and PETA India Intervened

Acting on PETA India’s complaint, Delhi Forest Department officials rescued two Alexandrine parakeets from a man at New Delhi Railway Station, Delhi. After receiving a tip-off from a concerned citizen, PETA India worked with the informant and the forest department to ensure that the birds were immediately seized.

The birds were sent for a health check, treatment, and temporary rehabilitation. They will be released in nature once their recovery is complete. Alexandrine parakeets are protected under Schedule II of the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972. Endangered wildlife is also protected internationally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Non-native endangered species protected under CITES are also protected under Schedule IV of the WPA, 1972.

In the illegal bird trade, countless individuals are taken from their families and denied everything that’s natural and important to them so that they can be sold as “pets” or exploited 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. Buying, selling, or possessing Alexandrine parakeets is an offence punishable by a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh and a jail term of up to three years. 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.