Birds rescued near Pipili

BHUBANESWAR: Forest officials on Wednesday rescued three parakeets, eight munias and three maynas, which were being sold by two persons near Pipili about 20 km from Bhubaneswar. Following complaints from animal rights activists about rampant selling of birds to commuters at bypass of NH-203, the forest officials conducted a raid, but the bird sellers managed to escape, sources said.

Animal rights activists said people from villages catch parakeets and munias from nearby jungles and sell them to commuters. These birds belong to schedule-IV of wildlife protection act and putting them in cages is a punishable offence under the act.

"Every day, around 100 birds are caught and sold by these people. These birds are very popular as pets but capturing them is violation of the wildlife act," said Gahar Abedin, honorary wildlife warden of Puri district.