Replacing dead Humboldt penguin may take time
:The civic body’s wish to get a replacement for Dory, the Humboldt penguin which died on Sunday, is likely to take time.
Officials from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), a central statutory body to fight organised wildlife crime in India, told HT that they visited the Byculla Zoo on Tuesday to apprise authorities about the lengthy process involved to import another penguin.
It needed approvals from Centre and state, they said. Officials also checked on the upkeep of the other seven birds brought from Seoul in South Korea.
On Monday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) blamed a private agency that procured the penguins and sought a replacement.
“We told the authorities that they cannot procure another penguin without valid documentation,” said M Maranko, regional director, WCCB.
He added that as per the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the BMC needed to obtain a no-objection-certificate from the chief wildlife warden, Maharashtra state forest department, the Union environment ministry and the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) before asking for another penguin.“after the environment ministry clears it, the recommen- dation will be submitted with the director general of Foreign Trade with the Ministry of Commerce. A similar procedure will be carried out in South Korea,” said Maranko adding that the process could take months. “After we receive the clearances can we allow the import of another penguin.”
Experts said that the CITES law is strictly monitored internationally especially after cases of mishap during wildlife trade. “Hypothetically, if eight more Humboldt penguins were brought to Byculla zoo, which is in shambles, it would be a catastrophe,” said Jose Louies, head of trade control, Wildlife Trust of India.
WCCB officials, however, said that on checking the penguins from outside the quarantined area, they appeared to be healthy. “We don’t know whether the infection has been passed onto the other penguins or not but they seem to be in a good condition,” said Maranko.