Lion cub, 3 rare langurs seized in Kolkata

In a major success against illegal trafficking of endangered wild animals officials of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and the West Bengal Forest Department in a joint operation seized a lion cub along with two adult and one juvenile white-headed langurs in Kolkata on the wee hours of Saturday.

Sources in the state’s Forest Department said that the WCCB officials received a tip off on trafficking of the endangered wild animals from Bangladesh.

“During the early hours of Saturday, the joint team chased and intercepted a vehicle on the Belgharia Expressway. The endangered animals were found inside the vehicle and seized from the possession of Wasim Rehman (29), Wajid Ali (36) and Md. Gulal Gaus (27). All the three persons have been arrested,” a Forest Department official said.

He added that preliminary investigation revealed buying of animals in Bangladesh and sending them to western India.

Sources said that the animals including the lion cub, being transported in cages inside small bags, appeared to be under severe stress. During trafficking, these animals were transported through different persons, most of whom did not know where they will be delivered.

“The person carrying the animals during one part of the trip was instructed over phone whom to handover the animals for the next part of the trip,” said the Forest Department official.

He said that an international racket of animal smugglers was probably behind the act and the investigation is going on to identify the full structure.