1234 Kolkata: Two critically-endangered primates — juveniles of red-shanked douc — found only in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were seized by the Customs at Kolkata airport in the early hours of Thursday and a youth has been detained upon his arrival with the consignment on a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok.
Later in the afternoon, the process was initiated to repatriate the primates — an old-world monkey — from where they were brought. Process was also on to book the 24-year-old accused of Bowbazar under relevant sections of Customs Act read with the Wildlife Protection Act.
The baby monkeys — hardly 8-inch long — were kept in a plastic basket inside the consignment. They were later identified by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and state forest dept's wildlife crime control unit.
They were sent back to Bangkok on a Thai Airways flight around 12 am from the city airport.
It is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an international treaty between govts whose objective is to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. CITES Appendix I, II and II species now also get protection under Schedule IV of the country's wildlife protection act.
"The accused has a digital marketing business. It appears he was a carrier. He has conducted such operations at least four times previously. He reportedly procured the two primates from a Tamil Nadu man, who is now based in Bangkok," said an official.
"This is a new pattern, the youths are being targeted as carriers. Their travel is financed and for a modest sum they undertake such risks. It's not only harmful for such endangered species of wildlife, regardless of their country of origin, but also for their own future," said Anirban Chaudhuri, consultant herpetologist and an independent researcher in illegal wildlife trade.
Jimlee Sarmah, joint commissioner, ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, animal quarantine and certification services, Kolkata, said since these animals were brought illegally without any health clearance, the repatriation process was initiated. "Keeping them might pose threat to the biosecurity here," she added.
According to a source, the expenses for the same will be borne by the exporting country.
Red-shanked doucs are known for their vibrant colours. They have been declared critically endangered by the IUCN, with the primary threats being hunting, habitat loss and pet trade.
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