Dear Goanetters, A letter was written and sent in person to the CCF, Goa. I spoke to CCF, Mr. Omkar Singh and ACF, Mr. Reddy, and showed them both videos and pictures of the animals in captivity. Both of them promise action immediately. However, lets see if they keep to their word. Below is the letter sent to them on behalf of WildGoa.
Thanks to all the WildGoans that have helped, especially Hansel that helped draft this letter and Donovan who did arrange for a lot of field visits to these sites. Clinton.. To, Mr. Omkar Singh, Chief Conservator of Forest, Forest Department of Goa Panaji Goa From, Members of the WildGoa online community http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/wildgoa [EMAIL PROTECTED] +91 9890936828 Dated: 4th January 2007 Dear Sir, Subject: Illegal captivity and public display of Schedule I, III & IV animals. This is to bring to the notice of the Forest Department about the illegal captivity and public display of animals of schedule I, III & IV. It is a tradition in many parts of Goa, to elaborately recreate the nativity/ crib scene during the Christmas week. But however in the bid to win the edge over other cribs on display some crib organizers have began to house protected species within the confines of the crib in pathetic condition and more so exposed to the elements without any proper food and water. It has been brought to our notice that there are two main cribs for which action should be taken to rescue the animals. The first one is in Aquem, which is less than a kilometer from the Margao branch of the forest department office, which is also situated in Aquem. This crib had a mongoose with its cub in a small cage, a palm civet, and a python. As you are already aware, these animals are schedule III and the python a schedule I animal and therefore captivity and public display is an offence. When visited on 29th December 2006, it was seen that these animals were stressed as they were housed in cramped metal cages, and placed under direct sunlight. The mongoose with its young was also injured as a result of the small cage. There is not arrangement for shelter from the heat of the day or the cold of the night, making these animals exposed to the elements without protection. No water is made available and there is evidence to prove that the animals have been fed with ice cream, chocolates and hard lozenges and biscuits as part of their diet. But the most worrying fact was the forest department had already given their prior consent to the youth of the village to display the wildlife, which was stated the presence of members from the WildGoa community. On our insistence, as well as because of the presence of members from the press, the animals were rescued and taken away from the area by the RFO-Margao and other officials from the forest department. I must add that the forest department stated that the python couldnt be rescued, because the forest department didnt have any competent staff to catch a python. We intervened and caught it and bagged it for the department. Yet however the very next afternoon, the very same python, a schedule - I animal, was again on display. We must add that the crib is located less than a kilometer away from the forest department office. We have also found on enquiry that none of the 4 animals seized by RFO-Margao, Mr. Dessai were received by the forest officials at Bondla. We wonder what has happened to them? The second instance is in Rachol. Here the animals on display are a juvenile crocodile, a monitor lizard, a mongoose, a civet and a large python. These animals are again caged, with some tied up and are all schedule I and III animals. These animals too have been kept in terrible conditions and were dehydrated. These animals have also been subjected to continuous poking by the general public, to get a reaction from the animals. The cribs will be on display till the 6th of this month. We have been in touch with your department for the past 5 days trying to get some action done. We worry that if these animals are not rescued before the 6th, these animals will disappear as peoples pets. Finding the pets in different homes will be impossible once they go from public view. We also intend to go to the central zoo authority with our complain if action is not taken by tomorrow, 5th January 2006. We feel that the department should also send competent staff, which is adept with handling animals and reptiles. We cannot imagine the forest departments not knowing about this as there are hundreds of people who troop every evening at 5.30 pm onwards to see these animals. Or else the image of the forest department of being lazy and incompetent only grows. Representing members of WildGoa, Clinton Vaz Moderator WildGoa Benaulim, Goa, India email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] mobil: +91 (0) 9890936828 chat: msn: willyvaz, yahoo: klintvaz, skype: ClintonVaz -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 05 January 2007 07:32 AM To: goanet@lists.goanet.org Subject: Goanet Digest, Vol 2, Issue 12 Send Goanet mailing list submissions to goanet@lists.goanet.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
