At least 72 parrot chicks were rescued during a raid in Odisha’s Jagasinghpur district in the early hours of Sunday, forest department officials said. Two other people were detained on suspicion of involvement in the illegal wildlife trade, sources said.

Acting on a tip-off, forest department officials conducted a raid in the Nuapola area of ​​Jagatsinghpur Sadar block around 2 am on Sunday and rescued the parrot chicks.

“Last night, we received a tip-off about illegal wildlife trade in Nuapola area of ​​Jagatsinghpur Sadar block. On the instructions of Cuttack Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), we formed a team and conducted a raid. During the raid, police seized As many as 72 parrot chicks were found and two persons were detained. The detainees have been taken to the Jagatsinghpur forest farm office for questioning,” said Kushal Biswas, wildlife warden of Khurda.

Meanwhile, locals claimed that some people in Jagatsingpur Sadar area have been illegally selling parrots on the main Jagatsingpur-Cutack road for the past few days.

“As per the provisions of the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Act, 2022, people cannot keep parrots at home,” Biswas said.