Need centre for animals rescued from smuggling bids: Experts

The recent tortoise-smuggling case has highlighted the need for a centre for rescued animals and reptiles within the city limits. The reptiles are scheduled to be moved from the city to the Dahanu rescue centre, a distance of around 118 kilometres, on Tuesday.

The forest department had announced it would come up with a rescue centre for the city around Kalyan, but the construction work for the same is yet to start.

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU), on October 15, had seized 197 Indian star turtle sand two spotted black pond turtles, which were being taken to Dubai in passengers’ baggage.

While Indian Star Turtles are protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972, black spotted turtles are protected under schedule I, which means that they are a critically endangered species. This was the second such smuggling case that was busted in last fifteen days in the city. The Dahanu rescue centre lies in the vicinity of the Dahanu Forest Office.

Expressing concern over the lack of temporary rescue shelters in Mumbai, Shakuntala Mazumdar, president of Thane Society of Prevention to Cruelty of Animals (TSPCA), said, “The tortoises caught by the custom officials hardly require water, especially the star tortoises. There are already 90 tortoises in Jijamata Udyan. According to me, all these tortoises should be repatriated.”

“The forest officials have already demarked around two acres they are still waiting for the work to commence,” she addded.

“In the monsoons, we also planted around 300 plants so that we can have grown trees for this temporary shelter. Since Mumbai is a major trafficking route and we have been receiving more animals from the airport, the forest department should utilise this demarked area until they are repatriated,” Ms Mazumdar further said.

Pawan Sharma, Founder of Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) said, “Urban cities like Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane need their own facility and infrastructure so that other rescue facilities across state are not overburdened.

“With the rise in the number of rescued and seized animals and reptiles it is necessary to have a resident transit facility.”

He further explained, “Our city has the best experts and veterinaries, but due to a lack of place for the rescued animals from the city, either the experts or the rescued animals have to travel for treatment, delaying the immediate shelter needed by the rescued animals.”

Despite several attempts, deputy conservator of forest Kishore Thakare remained unavailable for comment.