Mid-Day Exclusive: At Mumbai airport, the wild side of smuggling

This year Mumbai Customs intercepted 377 exotic wild animals at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport According to data compiled by NGO RAWW and shared with the Maharashtra Forest Department the most trafficked exotic species were reptiles led by Green Iguanas followed by Indonesian Pit Vipers and Central Bearded DragonsThe seizures shine a harsh spotlight on the booming illegal exotic pet trade Whatrsquos more alarming is a new and disturbing trend unlike earlier years when trafficked animals were mostly captivebred many are now being poached directly from the wild One such case involved a pigtailed macaque discovered with a pellet lodged in its skull A veterinarian in Mumbai successfully removed the bullet exposing the brutal reality of wildlife traffickingIndochinese Box Turtle Rhinoceros Rat Snake and Sumantran Stripped RabbitBetween January and July 29 this year Mumbai Customs seized 377 exotic wild animals from the luggage of passengers flying into the city Several individuals have been arrested in connection with these cases Pawan Sharma founder amp president of RAWW told midday that the current trends in illegal wildlife trafficking are extremely alarmingldquoEarlier most trafficked animals were captivebred species However current trends show a disturbing rise in the number of wildcaught species being traffickedrdquo he said ldquoThere is growing demand for wildcaught animals in both local and international markets Breeders often seek wild individuals to maintain genetic diversity and avoid inbreeding which helps ensure the offspring are healthier and free from genetic defects This is a serious issue that requires thorough investigation and urgent actionrdquo Sharma addedGreen Iguanas were the most trafficked exotic species seized at Mumbai Airport this year highlighting the booming illegal reptile tradeInbreeding mdash mating between closely related individuals such as siblings or parents mdash can lead to reduced immunity genetic defects shorter lifespans and diminished physical traits ultimately lowering the commercial value of the animals To prevent this breeders introduce wildcaught animals into captive populations However this practice increases the risk of zoonotic diseases and accelerates the decline of wild populations It has also been observed that some breeders release these animals back into the wild further compounding the problemldquoThis year alone we encountered several wildcaught animals based on their physical condition behavioural traits and appearance which clearly differed from those bred in captivityrdquo Sharma said He added ldquoWe also recorded significant mortality among wildcaught individuals due to capture myopathy and captivity stress which are rare in captivebred animals accustomed to human handling and confined spaces like baskets cages and breeding boxesrdquoCentral Bearded Dragons ranked third among the most trafficked reptiles with 30 seized by Customs this year PicsMumbai CoustomsDr Rina Dev private practitioner and associate senior veterinarian with RAWW shared a recent case to underline the cruelty of the exotic pet trade ldquoThe primate was brought in severely dehydrated and unable to hold his head and neck upright Initially we thought this was due to extreme stress and exhaustion But an Xray revealed something more disturbing a gun pellet partially lodged in his skullrdquo she said ldquoA delicate surgery was urgently performed to remove the pellet and the animal was placed under intensive care Over the following weeks he gradually recovered with dedicated treatmentrdquo Dr Dev saidWhat experts have to sayNeha Panchamiya founder amp president RESQ Charitable Trust member State Wildlife Board Maharashtra said ldquoThe recent seizures at Mumbai Airport underline a deeply worrying trend While earlier interceptions often involved captivebred or tamed exotic species we are now increasingly seeing wildcaught animals traumatised injured and entirely unfit for captivity This shift signals a growing brazenness among traffickers and a disturbing demand from buyers who remain unaware or indifferent to the brutal backstory of these animalsSiamang Gibbon mdash one of five seized this year mdash is native to Southeast Asia and highly vulnerable to trafficking due to its rarity and valueThe case of the pigtailed macaque with a pellet lodged in its skull is a grim reminder of the violence inherent in this trade And it doesnrsquot stop at cruelty In a recent incident over 2500 redeared sliders smuggled from India were repatriated to Singapore only to be euthanised due to Salmonella Every individual who buys even a single exotic turtle regardless of legality fuels this demand and is partly responsible for the deaths of thousands of others That alone should be reason enough not to buyrdquoIndonesian Pit Vipers were the secondmost trafficked reptile species with 45 seized These venomous snakes are in high demand among exotic pet collectorsTrishala Ashok conservation filmmaker working on Wildlife Trafficking Awareness said ldquoA bullet in a pigtailed macaque makes me think not just of the pain suffering and mental trauma the animal has endured but of a broken system On one end we have vulnerable local communities being exploited on the other ignorant exotic pet owners fueling this demand In between are overwhelmed enforcement agencies and gaps in policy The only way forward is crosssectoral collaboration across borders disciplines and jurisdictions to address every facet of this crisis Thatrsquos the only way we stand a chance at countering this heinous crimerdquoBrown Basilisk Lizard mdash although not among the top seized species reptiles like these continue to be smuggled due to demandKedar Gore Wildlife Conservationist The Corbett Foundation said ldquoIt is shocking that so many different exotic species from large monkeys to spiders are being smuggled into India Why the sudden rise in routing these animals through Mumbai Isnrsquot it obvious such consignments would be caught by Customs Are the smugglers so naive as to overlook this A detailed investigation is needed to determine the intended destination of these animalsmdashwas it for personal collections or for privatelyowned zoos in India Hopefully the truth will come out soon Good work by the Customs Department in intercepting these consignments and rescuing the animals I hope efforts are also being made to send the healthy ones back to their countries of originrdquoWhat WCCB officials sayYogesh Warkad deputy director WCCB said ldquoThe high demand for exotic wild animals in India is undeniable However the spike in seizures is also due to improved intelligence gathering which has increased detection of wildlife trafficking crimes In most cases animals seized at Mumbai International Airport by Customs are repatriated to their countries of origin If they cannot be returned they are sent to Central Zoo Authority CZAapproved zoosrdquo