NDTV: Smuggling of frogs on the rise

April 16, 2007

Smuggling of frogs on the rise

Kishalay Bhattacharjee

Friday, April 13, 2007 (Guwahati)

The smuggling of frogs from the North East to China and Europe has

increased.

Frog legs are one of the better-known delicacies of French and Chinese

cuisine and bull frogs in particular are much sought after for their

meaty hind legs.

Recently the railway police seized a container filled of endangered

bull frogs from a local train coming from the North Cachar Hills,

which say they were meant to be smuggled.

" This is a case of smuggling, it happens on this route, they are taken

outside. Earlier we had caught elephants. I know they are sent to

China, Burma, " said Ranjit Hazarika, OC GRP, Guwahati.

The 71 frogs that were seized have now been released.

There may be no accounting for taste but these amphibians play a more

meaningful role in their natural habitat rather than when served with

white wine.

Less than 50 frogs are needed to keep an acre of a paddy field insect

free.

Decline in the number of frogs means increased pesticide use and

spread of insect-borne diseases like malaria and encephalitis.

Concerns mount

India was France's biggest supplier until it banned frog exports in

1987 because the cost of importing pesticides was greater than what

the export of frog legs fetched.

This was also due to the cruelty shown in killing frogs - the legs of

frogs are cut off when the animal is alive and the limbless torsos are

thrown away.

" It is protected under schedule 4. Wildlife crime is increasing in NE.

We have held a meeting recently. We have come to know that from the NE

region these are going outside, " said Surajit Dutta, DFO, Wildlife

Guwahati.

The European Commission has already included a ban on imports of frogs

but as long as there is a demand in the West, such measures may not help.

Maybe it's time we asked - do eating pleasures prevail over ecological

necessity.

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