Rs 360,000 fine for illicit sale of endemic wildlife

This is the work of a Mafia. So far we know the man incubates the eggs and sells the birds among locals, with a jungle fowl going for Rs 10,000, while a plum-headed parakeet is sold for over Rs 100,000."

Colombo Magistrate Chanima Wijebandara on Friday imposed a fine of Rs 360,000 on a suspect for illicitly selling endemic birds and tortoises, and directed officials of the Dept of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) to release the birds into the wild, after conducting medical analyses at the Atthidiya Wildlife Health Management Centre.

A Wildlife Ranger involved in the raid, Saman Liyange said they had received information on Friday morning that a man named Haren Yatawala, a resident of Rajagiriya, was keeping four jungle fowls, two rare plum-headed parakeets and 10 endemic Alu Girawa (Layard’s Parakeet) .

On raiding the Rajagiriya residence, they found two black tortoises and three large cages holding jungle fowls and two rare parrots.

Mr Liyanage said that, their investigations revealed the birds were hatched using electronic incubators.

“This is the work of a Mafia. So far we know the man incubates the eggs and sells the birds among locals, with a jungle fowl going for Rs 10,000, while a plum-headed parakeet is sold for over Rs 100,000,” he said.

He explained that, according to the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance, it is illegal to keep in captivity and exhibit or, sell protected and endemic animals.

He further said that, they would conduct raids on houses and pet shops which sell wild animals.

The raid was carried out under the guidance of DWC Deputy Director and head of the Gampaha region flying squad,W.A.D.U Indrajith, with Rangers Saman Liyange and G.M.R Mohomad and Guides Sarath Bandara, G.S. Kasun Somasiri and H. Lasanthe Kumara Jayasiri conducting the raid.