Three Parakeets Rescued by Pune Forest Division Following PETA India Complaint
Following a concerned citizen’s complaint about two Alexandrine parakeets being kept in a small, dingy cage at a residence in Aundh, PETA India worked with Pune forest officials to rescue the birds. On visiting the location, the team found three parakeets, who were immediately seized by the forest department.
Following their rescue, the birds were sent to RESQ Charitable Trust 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, 1972 (WPA). Buying, selling, or possessing this species is an offence punishable by a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh or a jail term of up to three years – or both. PETA India has written to the Maharashtra Forest Department calling for the illegal custodians to be booked under the relevant sections of the WPA.
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.
