Smugglers Opting Champhai Route For Exotic Animals: WCCB

AIZAWL: In a concerning development, it has come to light that wildlife smugglers have been frequently using a route passing through Champhai District of Mizoram along the India-Myanmar border to smuggle several exotic species of animals from South East Asian countries.

This was stated by officials of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in a meeting held in Champhai on Wednesday.

The meeting held on Wednesday at the Office of the Divisional Forest Officer, Champhai was attended by different enforcement agencies working in coordination for prevention of wildlife smuggling. It was chaired by the Joint Director of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Manoj Kumar.

During the meeting which primarily discussed the rise in wildlife related crimes and to prevent smuggling of exotic animals, it was mentioned that from January 2021 to October 2022, there were as many as seven seizures of exotic animals in the Champhai District of Mizoram. Moreover, in the seven anti-smuggling operations, a total of 723 exotic animals belonging to different species were recovered by agencies.

Joint Director Manoj Kumar mentioned that an unprecedented increase in wildlife smuggling and exotic animals in particular has been observed throughout the NE region and neighbouring West Bengal.

"A high majority of exotic animal smuggling was detected during the recent months," said the WCCB Joint Director.

Kumar during the meeting attended by various stakeholders at Champhai said that the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 needs an amendment so as to include protection of wildlife in other countries by including smuggled animals.

He added that certain steps need to be taken for ensuring early passage of the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 in the Parliament.

Currently the act prohibits hunting and harvesting certain animal species within the country but does not include prohibition on wildlife smuggling to other countries.

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