Campaign

Owls are mostly nocturnal birds of prey that feed mainly on small mammals. The Indian subcontinent is home to 35 species of owls, of which 32 are found in India.
THREAT: The main driver of the illegal owl trade in India is the use of owls in black magic and sorcery linked with superstition, totems and taboos. Shaman or black magic practitioners, frequently referred to as tantriks, prescribe the use of owl parts such as the skull, feathers, ear tuffs, claws, heart, liver, kidney, blood, eyes, fat, beak, tears, eggshells, meat and bones for ceremonial pujas and rituals, often aimed at creating overnight wealth. Besides black magic, owls are also used for street performances, zoos, and folk medicines. Although, in Andhara Pradesh and Telangana, owl meat is eaten by certain communities.   

OWLS ARE PROTECTED UNDER : Forest Owlet is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.  - All other owl species of India are listed in Schedule IV of the Act, under the family names Tytonidae and Strigidae. The Act prohibits hunting and domestic trade in these species.  
PUNISHMENT: Hunting or trade in owl and its parts and derivatives in India is an  offence leading to  imprisonment of between three and seven years and a fine of not less than INR 10000
 

INTERESTING FACTS: An owl has three eyelids: one for blinking, one for sleeping and one for keeping the eye clean and healthy. Owls cannot move their eyes within their sockets. This means they have to turn their head to see in a different direction. Not all owls are nocturnal. Some species, such as the Short-eared Owl, flies in the daytime. 

#dontbuytrouble

 A parrot in captivity is one of the more visible symbols of illegal trade in India, where all native wildlife is fully protected.Identification of parrots and other species in trade is a major challenge, but the new poster will help enforcement officers identify the 12 native Indian parrot species. The posters will be distributed to Police, Customs, Forest Departments, Railway Protection Forces, educational institutions such as schools and colleges. Despite the blanket ban since 1990-91 on trade in all India bird species, hundreds of parrots are collected and traded annually in IndiaOf the 12 native species, eight are regularly found being illegally trade. They include Alexandrine, Rose-ringed, Plum-headed, Red-breasted, Malabar, Himalayan and Finsch’s Parakeets and Vernal Hanging-parrot. 

PARAKEETS ARE PROTECTED UNDER : The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, prohibits keeping Indian birds as pets These birds are listed in Schedule IV of the Act and keeping them as pets can invite a jail term of up to six years or a fine of over Rs 5,000.

For centuries, parrots have been kept as pets mainly because they are straightforward to keep and easy to replace because of the large numbers in trade. This has in turn created demand that has led to an organized illegal trade in parrots.

THREAT FROM ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE: They are taken from the wild and smuggled to various parts of the country and beyond. The bulk of the trade is in three to four week old chicks. Parrots are caught using nets and bird-lime. Adult parrots are traded throughout the year, with chicks arriving in trade between December and June. For every bird that reaches the market place, several are believed to die en route.

INTERESTING FACTS: They live in large groups and can be found in flocks of thousands of birds sometimes. Parakeets are excellent mimics and can learn a lot words, making them a very popular pet. At breeding time, they lay 3-4 eggs in tree cavities, rock crevices and buildings.  It takes about 24 days for the eggs to hatch and the chicks grow very quickly. .

In india , large number of turtles & tortoises are illegally caught in the wild and smuggled to pet trade markets elsewhere in asia. Turtles and tortoises are also traded for their meat, falsely considered a tonic food and also served as a delicacy. Demand for the pet trade,for food and medicine threatens many tortoise fresh water and sea turtle species in india including the black spotted turtle, indian star tortoise, gangeetic softshell turtle,flapshell turtle, tent turtle among others.
 

TURTLES ARE PROTECTED UNDER : black spotted turtles and many others tortoise and freshwater turtle species are protected unnder shedules I, II and IV of wildlife ( protection ) act 1972, of india, which prohibits hunting.  
International trade regulations are enforced through the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES).
 

PUNISHMENT: trade both domestic and international, or any others form of utilization and exploitation. violation of the act can lead to seven years of imprisonment, a heavy fine or both.
 

INTERESTING FACTS:

1. Some turtles and tortoises can live to over 100 years old – and beyond
2. Turtles can live in most climates that are warm enough for them to breed. They live on all   continents except Antarctica.
3. The scales on the outer shell of a tortoise are made of the same keratin as human fingernails.  This protects against injury, damage and infection.
4. It’s Not Easy to Tell Their Gender      

Lets all join our hands togather and be the voice to the innocent specie.

#dontbuytrouble.