BHUBANESWAR: The State Wildlife Headquarters has directed Baliguda forest division in inquiry into hunting and illegal trading of parakeets, a protected species, in Kandhamal district. Acting on a complaint raised by Khurda Honorary Wildlife Warden Subhendu Mallik, the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife was asked to probe into the matter and initiate action against the accused under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
Mallik had shared a link of a video uploaded on YouTube platform where a man was seen climbing atop a tree in the forest to capture parakeet chicks from the nest. “As a parakeet is a protected bird under the Wildlife Protection Act , it is a crime,” Mallik said.
He added that following his complaint, the person changed the name of the channel and removed the video from the YouTube platform. Mallik also said that supply of parakeet chicks to different parts of Odisha is still continuing and the birds are being sold openly which is a clear violation of law.