Posted28 avril 2022, 06:41
Wealthy Indians want kangaroos as pets. The traffic is increasing and the law is not adapted.
In early April, three kangaroos were found in the wild in the state of Bengal.
iStock
There are no kangaroos in India. However, regularly, some are seen wandering in the forests of the east of the country. Videos that have gone viral show marsupials desperately looking for something to eat “in front of stunned locals, who have often never heard of these funny animals”, relate Slate.
Where do these kangaroos come from? These are animals that escaped or were abandoned while being smuggled to be sold as pets. According to the “New York Times” it would be a fashion that would grow among the wealthy inhabitants of large Indian cities.
These kangaroos are bred in Southeast Asia and are sometimes found in the wild in very poor condition. In early April, in the state of Bengal, three marsupials were found hopping in the wild. Although recovered and entrusted to an animal park, one of them had not survived his severe dehydration. The following day, authorities unearthed the carcass of a fourth kangaroo.
New law in preparation
Le «New York Times» highlighted that India has a legislative gap which increases the problem of animal trafficking. Entering the country with a prohibited species is indeed punishable. On the other hand, no law makes it possible to sanction a person holding an exotic species. So the only “challenge” is actually crossing the border.
Aware of the problem, the Indian parliament is currently working on more suitable legislation. The idea being to “place the question of the possession of exotic species under the responsibility of the wildlife protection authorities, and no longer on that of customs officers”, it is specified.