Baripada: Forest department staff recovered 11 juvenile Alexandrine parakeets being smuggled out for sale and arrested on person in this connection in the South Similipal area on early Thursday morning.
According to SCF Rabinarayan Mohanty, the juvenile Alexandrine parakeets were recovered at around 5.30 am today during a joint patrolling by the Forest department personnel of Baripada Range and South Similipal area. Acting on a tip-off that one person was smuggling 11 Alexandrine parakeets on a bike; the Forest personnel laid a trap in Katpal, a suburb of Baripada along the National Highway 18.
They intercepted the bike rider and on inspection of a bag found 11 Alexandrine parakeets. The birds were rescued and handed over to the Pintabata Range Office. They will be released into the wild once they are old enough to fly, said the SFC.
Meanwhile, the smuggler has been detained for interrogation. He will be forwards to court today.
