The forest department's Wildlife Crime Control Unit, Dhaka, raided the kitchen market and bird shops in the Mirpur-1 area of the capital and seized a total of 50 native wild animals that were being held illegally or displayed for sale.

The raid was carried out on Friday morning (11 July), according to a press release from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The release said the animals rescued included:

• 3 hill mynas
• 2 crested mynas
• 2 bank mynas
• 2 spotted doves
• 14 common mynas
• 2 hiraman parrots
• 23 parakeets
• 1 hawk
• 1 kori kaitta

An experienced six-member team led by wildlife inspector Nargis Sultana searched several shops and spots in the market from the morning. The organisation SWAN, which works on environmental and wildlife conservation, assisted in the operation.

Most of the rescued animals were later released into a safe and suitable natural habitat as directed by the authorities concerned. Sick animals are being kept safely at the office for now and will also be released into the wild later.

Under the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012, collecting, rearing, buying, selling or transporting any native wild animal is prohibited and a punishable offence. The Wildlife Crime Control Unit has pledged to continue such regular raids on bird markets to protect wildlife.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.