Two passengers were caught with rare and endangered species, including a brown basilisk lizard, an iguana, and a Sumatran striped rabbit, at Mumbai International Airport. Pawan Sharma, honorary wildlife warden of Thane and president of NGO RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare), told mid-day that a total of 120 live exotic animals were seized during the operation.
Green iguanas
“Mumbai customs arrested two Mumbai-based passengers arriving from Bangkok via Air India. The exotic animals were cruelly stuffed into small plastic and jute containers inside their luggage,” Sharma said, adding that wildlife experts from RAWW assisted with rescuing and stabilising the animals. Authorities said the rescued animals will be deported back to the country they were trafficked from, in accordance with provisions under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and with support from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB).
Brown basilisk
Among the seized wildlife was the Northern common cuscus, a species native to Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, and New Guinea. Often hunted for bushmeat or kept as pets, this species is vulnerable due to increasing exploitation. Also rescued was the Sumatran striped rabbit, listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List and endemic to Sumatra, Indonesia. Iguanas and other exotic reptiles were also among the animals recovered.
Earlier this month, Mumbai airport saw another similar case where iguanas, sugar gliders, and other exotics were rescued, and a smuggler was arrested. mid-day has consistently reported on the rise in illegal exotic pet trade, which thrives due to increasing demand. In most cases, these animals are trafficked for use as pets, often kept in cruel and unsanitary conditions.
