Almost 2,000 Birds Kept in Suffocating Cages by Illegal Traders Rescued

Almost 2,000 birds kept in suffocating cages by the illegal wildlife trade were rescued in India.

The birds, including 500 chicks, were seized in Kabutar Market in Delhi, by the Police and the Forest Department after they were discovered crammed into cages and kept in rooms with no ventilation. The raid came following a complaint filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India.

Parakeet chicks were found stacked on top of each other in cardboard boxes, and several were found dead, animal welfare organization Wildlife SOS said.

Many of the birds are dehydrated, malnourished, and "under immense stress," Wasim Akram, deputy director of special projects at Wildlife SOS, said in a press release.

"It was shocking to discover that the munias have been dyed in bright colors using harmful chemicals," Akram said.

The trade of native Indian birds was banned in 1991. The country's Wildlife Protection Act prohibits people from keeping Indian birds such as parakeets and munias as pets. However, there is high demand for them on the black market. India has 12 native species of parakeets, including rose-ringed parakeets, Alexandrine parakeets and plum-headed parakeets.

All are protected species, meaning it is illegal to sell or keep them in captivity. However, they are among the most traded birds in India.

It was perhaps one of the biggest bird seizures to occur in Delhi, Aditya Madanpotra, deputy conservator of forests at the Delhi Forest Department, said.

After the birds were seized from the wildlife traders, they were brought to Wildlife SOS for treatment. The baby birds, in particular, required "extensive care," Geeta Seshamani, secretary at Wildlife SOS, said.

"[They] are very small and vulnerable ... [they require] feeding every 3 to 4 hours. They will be released in their natural habitat once they are fit by veterinary experts," Seshamani said.

Wildlife SOS said several of the bird species were not native to the area, and had been smuggled from different states.

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS, said: "Possession and trade of native wildlife species are illegal...Under the garb of the pet trade, rare and endangered species are smuggled across the country, due to ever-increasing demand in the black market. We hope this incident can help expose linkages to a larger illegal wildlife trade racket."

Millions of wild animals fall victim to the illegal pet trade each year. Many animals traded illegally as pets are taken from the wild and misbranded as being bred in captivity.

Animals smuggled in the illegal pet trade often suffer in cruel conditions. It is also depleting populations of endangered species across the world.