KATHMANDU, May 13 : Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD), Hanumandhoka, with support from Wildlife Conservation Nepal (WCN) has arrested a man involved in smuggling an Eurasian eagle-owl, an endangered species. [break]
The arrested man has been identified as Sher Bahadur Gurung, 50, of Chhatredeurali VDC-6, Dhading. He is learnt to be serving as a security guard at Honda Company at Sanepa, Lalitpur, after having been with the Armed Police Force (APF) for 25 years.
Gurung has admitted to police that he started getting involved in smuggling endangered birds since July, 2008. He said he started preying on endangered birds at Chovar forest after an acquaintance assured him that an vulture could be sold for Rs 70,000.
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Officials at MPCD, Hanumandhoka, said Gurung was arrested on May 9 after receiving information from WCN that he was negotiating to sell a live eagle-owl.
According to police investigation officer Gautam Kumar KC, Gurung was found to have put the eagle-owl in a cage at his rented quarters at Shankhamool.
Investigation officials said an eagle-owl sells for between Rs 50,000 to Rs 300,000 and the bird is mostly smuggled to Pakistan.
The Eurasian eagle-owl has a body length of 24-29 inches, a wingspan of 5-6 feet, and weighs 3.5- 9 pounds. The species is one of the largest owls in the world.
The eagle-owl favors rocky outcrops and cliffs in a variety of wooded habitats throughout much of Europe and Asia. It may also be found in open habitats that have some trees and rocky areas like the taiga, farmlands, the steppes, semi-arid areas and grasslands.
In Nepal, the eagle-owl is under legal protection in pursuant to Section 70 (a) of the forest Act 1993 and CITES, the international convention against trade in endangered species.
Police have handed Gurung over to Kathmandu District Forest Office at Hattisar for necessary legal action. According to the National Parks and Wildlife Protection Act, he is liable to a Rs 10,000 fine or a two-year jail term.
