Illegally bred birds rescued

KATHMANDU, May 5: Six birds of three different species listed in appendix two of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) were rescued from a bird breeding centre set up in Thankot, Kathmandu on Thursday.



They were immediately handed over to the Central Zoo in Jawalakhel of Lalitpur.[break]



A joint team of wildlife conservation activists and government officials from District Forest Office (DFO) of Kathmandu and Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) had raided the breeding centre following a tip-off.



Although Bishwo Raj Joshi, the operator of the centre, had obtained a license for breeding wildlife, the DNPWC officials said he was not allowed to breed the CITES-listed birds. The DNPWC officials are mulling to scrap Joshi´s license.



Three African Grey Parrots, one Talking Maina and two Alexandrine Parakeets, trade of which has been prohibited by the CITES, were rescued from Joshi´s breeding centre. The team comprising representatives of Roots and Shoots Nepal, Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN), Wildlife Conservation Nepal (WCN) and government officials arrested an Indian national, MD Chhotu, for breeding Talking Maina.    



Manoj Gautam, representative of Roots and Shoots Nepal, an NGO working for animal rights, says that the government´s wildlife breeding policy, introduced in 2003, has provided a grey zone for traders of the CITES-listed species. “The policy allows them to breed wild animals,” he said. “But, they breed and sell the CITES-protected species as well by using their licenses meant only for other wild animals. As the government´s monitoring mechanism is weak, the policy has provided a fertile ground for the illegal trade of the CITES-protected species.”

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