A pair of macaws for 1.2 lakh: Exotic birds up for sale in Gurgaon

The Times of India , Saturday, August 02, 2014
Correspondent : TNN
GURGAON: At the pet shops in Sadar Bazaar and New Railway Road, no one seems aware that the Wildlife Protection Act bans the capture and sale of all endangered species of Indian fauna. Here, exotic birds - both Indian and foreign - from different varieties of parrots and pigeons to grey crows - are available freely. "No wildlife official has ever raided our shops," proclaims a pet trader in Sadar Bazaar emphatically. Here, another trader sells pigeons, lovebirds and kingfishers. "Migratory cranes, too, are sometimes sold, especially during winters when they arrive here, but keeping them requires space - such as the backyard of a house, and have little demand," said a seller, who has been living in Gurgaon village for the past 40 years.

TOI visited three shops - two in old Gurgaon and one in new Gurgaon and found parrots and pigeons are the easiest buys. A swanky pet-grooming clinic in DLF Phase IV promised to home-deliver Indian parrots within 24 hours of placing an order. Shops in old Gurgaon assured that exotic varieties of crows, parrots and pigeons can be arranged on special request. While an Indian parrot sold at a premium of Rs 40,000 - because they are banned - you can get a pair of blue-and-yellow Amazonian macaws to adorn your patio for as little as Rs 1,20,000. Pigeons come cheaper: A pair costs Rs 1,200. Pairs of lovebirds come for Rs 2,800, while budgerigars are Rs 1,000 a pair. But in case you are hard pressed for time, the trade thrives online too. Free classified ads sites, such as OLX and Quickr, are flooded with ads selling pigeons and mynahs.

Amit Chaudhary, the president of the Gurgaon chapter of People for Animals admitted that trade in endangered Indian birds, though illegal, continues freely in Gurgaon, as the city sits next to the Aravali greenbelt, which also has a bird sanctuary that attracts migratory birds every year, providing easy pickings for the catchers. "In Gurgaon, sale of endangered birds, especially peacocks and vultures, is quite prevalent. We recently rescued a vulture from a Sultanpur resident," he said.

Illegal trade in owls also flourishes in the city. The biggest customers are the many so-called Bengali dawakhanas (medicine shop) that serve poor migrant labourers. "Bengali or khandani (traditional) dawakhanas deal in tantric black magic, but also dish out quack concoctions as traditional medicine. They put red dye in an owl's eye to hoodwink and frighten gullible customers into believing predictions about bad luck. This of course causes incredible pain and permanent damage to the birds. We've raided these places on several occasions, but the practice continues," said Chaudhury.

While expressing helplessness due to an acute shortage of staff in the wildlife department, Vinod Kumar, the conservator of Gurgaon's forest and wildlife department, said, "We act on the basis of complaints, and have raided these areas several times in the past. But the network of bird catchers and traders is too extensive for our staff strength."

He said, "As for exotic foreign birds, it is very difficult to trace from where they are sourced. They are often smuggled into India. But since sale of foreign species is not banned, we can take action only when we get a complaint and have the evidence."

Chaudhury said, "Exotic birds have to be kept in a conducive environment. Keeping such birds in unhygienic and unsafe conditions is cruelty and an offence." On several occasions, we've sealed shops that keep macaws, lovebirds and cockatiels in unhygienic conditions." They could not be prosecuted for trading in foreign birds because that is not banned.

Gopal Singla, a city-based bird lover, said, "At a shop on New Railway Road, I once found a lovebird kept in a wire cage, which is unsuitable for such delicate pets. It had got injured by the sharp edges of the cage." He continued, "Birds are kept in barbaric conditions, 4-5 stuffed in a small cage, even at established markets like Sector 14. Noise and air pollution from passing traffic suffocates them. It's high time sale of all birds as pets is banned."

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/A-pair-of-macaws-for-1-2-lakh-Exotic-birds-up-for-sale-in-Gurgaon/articleshow/39510515.cms
 


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