(IN): Owl smuggling from Assam to South East Asia via Kolkata

August 23, 2007

Aug 23rd `2007, Rangiya Subdivision, Kamrup District, Assam

Forest personnels yeterday with the help of alert locals had managed to

rescue an adult Brown Fish Owl from traders which was destined for Kolkata.

Unfortunately the Owl dies hours after it was rescued.

Three agents from West Bengal have been arrested.

It is believed that these agents who hail from West Bengal tour Assam

villages and are on the lookout of nesting Owls. The owld are then captured

and an advance contract money paid to the villager to feed the owl snakes,

frogs etc and make it grow and big and strong. An adult owl of 5kgs weight

fetches around Rupees three lakh in the international market.

This owl when rescued was in a thatched hut covered with a mosquito net and

a dead snake lying beside.

I shall file an update to this report by tomorrow. Also the picture of the

Owl can be seen here (Click on INDIA BROWN FISH

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An insight into the West Bengal bird trade can be read in the following

archive article:

Kolkata traders sell exotic birds, despite ban

It may be noted that Kolkata based bird traders have also once again started

pumping in exotic birds illegally to the Assam market.

Azam Siddiqui

--

Fight captive Jumbo abuse, end Elephant Polo

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