Forest department officials continued with their raids at the hamlets of a tribal community at Villianur and Koodapakkam and seized 40 parakeets here on Sunday.
The raids were conducted following complaints that Narikuravas, residing in the areas, poach rare birds and animals for livelihood.
According to sources, one person who had come to purchase wild birds’ meat, was arrested and fined `500 as per Wildlife Protection Act.
The forest officials also found a dead wild rabbit during the raids. The parakeets, which are under the schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, were kept in cages and would fetch them `1500 per pair.
It may be recalled that Express had a report about merciless poaching in the area a few months ago.
Deputy Conservator of Forests Dr A Anil Kumar told Express that the raids were started on June 7 and would continue till the poaching is stopped completely.
The forest department had started an awareness campaign against poaching of rare animals and birds in the area, he added.
Anil Kumar said the buyers were capitalising on the innocence of Narikuravas to get the rare birds’/animals’ meat.
The poor Narikuravas do not have any alternative livelihood and easily fall prey to demands for “rare meat”.
To find an alternative livelihood for the tribes, the forest department has conducted a survey and a scheme would be proposed to the government for the Narikuravas, Anil Kumar said.
The forest department officials asked the Narikuravas to inform about the buyers, who approach them for the meat so that the offenders could be arrested.