Officials from WCCB also displayed seized skins of tigers, leopards, pangolin scales as well as elephant tusk to drive home the message that behind every product of animal trade is a dead animal.

“Our staff interacted with college students and visitors to the park spreading awareness about how buying such wildlife products meant supporting poaching of wildlife,” said M Maranko, Regional Director, Western Region, WCCB.

On Friday morning, addressing over 100 college students, Maranko asked them to not only be vigilant but also be a whistle-blower and report illegal trading of wildlife products. “We want to encourage youth, especially college students to join our movement against illegal trade of wildlife products by becoming a WCCB volunteer and helping us crackdown on illegal activities involving the animal trade," said Maranko.

Maranko also said that only if the demand for wildlife products decreases will the supply automatically be hit. “A lot of people decorate their homes and aquariums with live corals, due to such high demand of corals, these are removed from reefs affecting the marine ecosystem. While, for people, a live coral kept in the aquarium might make it look good, one has to remember that they will be playing a part in destruction of coral reefs as fishes would not have place to lay eggs," said Maranko.

SunishKunju, Founder of PAWS, Mumbai, said that even trade of animals including that of snakes, turtles, tortoises and others was becoming a major issue in the city. “There is an important need to create awareness about how several animals and birds are protected by law and these cannot be kept as pets. Also such people found need to face punitive action, then only this trade will stop,” he said.