Assam forest department personnel have seized several wild animals, including kangaroo, macaw, monkeys and tortoises, from smugglers in Silchar on July 28.

The forest authorities disclosed that a truck, carrying the consignment of exotic wildlife, coming from Mizoram-side was intercepted by forest personnel at around 11:30 pm on July 28 and rescued a kangaroo, six macaws, three tortoises and two monkeys.

“It is against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and its connection to wet markets, it’s high time we put an end to such practices of keeping pet of these exotic species and refrain from illegal wildlife trade. Let them live in their natural habitat,” said forest range officer of Hawaithang Range, D Deori.

Deori is investigating the matter under the direction of DFO Cachar Forest Division, Sunnydeo Choudhary.

Two persons – Narsimha Reddy and Navnath Tukaram Daigude – were detained in connection with the incident. In the course of interrogation, they revealed to the forest personnel that the consignment was headed to Guwahati.

Kangaroos are indigenous to Australia. The Australian government estimated that 34.3 million kangaroos lived within the commercial harvest areas of Australia in 2011.

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