A YouTuber has been arrested in Kokrajhar district of western Assam for capturing parakeets from the wild and offering them for sale on his channel. Jahid Lifestyle was held based on a complaint lodged by PETA India, who also seized two parakeets from his possession. Parakeets are protected under Schedule IV of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, and capturing, keeping, or selling them is a punishable offense.
PETA India made a formal complaint to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Divisional Forest Officer, Kachugaon. In the videos, Jahid and his accomplices were seen entering forested areas, climbing trees to reach the nests of parakeets and capturing them. PETA India commends the Kachugaon forest division for apprehending the accused and rescuing the parakeets.
Caged birds have nothing to sing about, and PETA urges anyone who is keeping a bird in this way to turn them in to their local forest department or an animal protection group for rehabilitation and to be reunited with a flock. The illegal bird trade is a cruel and devastating practice that rips countless birds away from their families and denies them everything that is natural and important to them.
