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Wildlife officials log onto online sale and smuggling of exotic fauna
View(s):Wildlife officials have commenced investigation into social media pages, free online classified advertising sites and websites for possible smuggling of indigenous fauna, following a recent raid in Colombo. Acting on a tip-off and using two young men as decoys, Wildlife officials raided a house that was also a sales point situated in Kirulapone, Colombo 6. The Wildlife officials had observed the suspect’s Facebook (FB) page and other sites that carried advertisements for several months.
The iguana, python and cobra that were found in the house following the raid
Deputy Director and Head of Wild Life Conservation’s Flying Squad, W.A.A.D.U. Indrajith said that despite selling exotic birds, the suspect did not have an import permit and said that he had purchased from another person.
“Even if you purchase from another person, he should have a copy of an import permit. The suspect did not possess a permit to trade or exhibit animals,” he said. At the time of the raid, authorities found a cobra, a python, a green iguana and a torque monkey. Only the green iguana is an exotic animal. According to him, interested buyers had to contact him via phone or online and meet to handover the animals.
“We are doubtful whether the imported pets are smuggled into the country. More investigations will follow after questioning him,” Mr Indrajith said. The suspect, Mohammed Rafeek Mohamed Sadham Hamry was produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court and released on a surety bail of Rs. 100,000.
Samantha Gunasekare, of the Customs Biodiversity Unit said that sales had taken place for more than two years.
“Apart from pets, he has sold exotic animals, for which he needs both the import permit and quarantine certificate. Unfortunately, the suspect did not posses either. There is a possibility these animals were smuggled into the country and the native animals smuggled out of the country,” he added. He said the Customs have increased surveillance, as there may be a possibility of Sri Lankan species being smuggled out of the country.
Among several animals sold after being published on their FB page and other advertising sites, are four-month-old sugar gliders, at Rs 46,000 a pair, a seven-month-old green iguana for Rs 55,000, all kinds of hamsters at Rs 8,500 each, albino dwarf white mice for Rs 1,000 a pair and baby Sri Lankan bald eagles at Rs 18,500 each.
Environmentalists expressed similar fears that the web trade may also be an indication of trafficking of native animals. Environmental lawyer Jagath Gunawardena said that, under the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance, not possessing an import permit for exotic animals and the illegal sale of native animals are punishable offences, with fines up to Rs 50,000 for each animal and jail-term of up to five years.
Foreign animal welfare organisations reported that thousands of Indian star tortoises are smuggled out of India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan annually for exotic pet trade. United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime has also recognised illegal trafficking as a new form of transnational organized crime, similar to drug trade and human trafficking.
Recently, foreign animal welfare organisations protested against a popular search engine publishing thousands of advertisements of ivory and ivory-related products, which is derived by killing elephants.
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