Woman caught at Mumbai airport trafficking rare gibbons in luggage

The small, crammed basket in which the woman had hidden the primates. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The Mumbai Customs, in the early hours of Tuesday, apprehended a woman from Chennai who was attempting to illegally transport two wild primate species. Adv Pawan Sharma, founder and president of RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare), said, "The woman was intercepted at the Mumbai International Airport by the Customs while attempting to traffic a male and female white-cheeked gibbon early on Tuesday morning. The primates were kept inside a basket hidden inside the luggage in very suffocating conditions."

The animals are currently under medical treatment and care of a wildlife expert team of rescuers and vets from RAWW, for a temporary period. "The animals will be deported as per provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which protects them in Schedule IV of the Act, and as per provisions of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)," Sharma said.

The two animals enjoy a meal after being rescued, on Tuesday

A wildlife lover who has been involved in cracking cases related to wildlife trafficking told mid-day that over the last few months, there has been an increase in the trafficking of gibbon species to India from South Asia. The species is native to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and is protected under local and international laws, which reflects the severity of such crimes.

"Illegal wildlife trafficking is one of the top crimes globally, just like human trafficking, narcotics, illegal arms trade, terrorism, and money laundering. The white-cheeked gibbon is a critically endangered species and included in the Red List of IUCN (International Union of Conservation of Nature) and Appendix I of the CITES. It is also protected under Schedule IV of the amended Wildlife Protection Act, 1972," Sharma added.

Sharma said that these patterns of crime are not regular and normal, and they require more attention as there is a deep nexus between developed cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, and Kolkata, which is not just related to exotic wildlife trade but also similar serious crimes.