The Forest Department has barred a farm house near Pollachi from exhibiting exotic birds, snakes and animals. The action was initiated against P.N. Farm House, which is located near Ambarampalayam river, around 7 km away from Pollachi. Officials from the Pollachi forest range of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) inspected the farm house on Monday and found out that the management was displaying exotic species to visitors who were also allowed to feed, pet, and take photos/videos with them.
Recently, the Forest Department had instructed local district forest officers to ensure that aviaries and petting zoos do not exhibit exotic species, the ones that are listed under the appendices I, II and III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and included in Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The Department also stated that it has sought clarity from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as to what permits are required for their display to the public.
After seeing photos and videos of the public handling exotic species uploaded by the farm house on a social media platform, the Department inspected the facility on Monday.
“The farm house management is maintaining all documents and permits related to the exotic species. Since it was found displaying their collection to visitors, the Department has issued a warning and closed the facility for visitors. The exotic species will be confiscated if it violates the warning,” said S. Ramasubramanian, Conservator of Forests and Field Director of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve. According to the Department, the collection of exotic species at the farm house included pythons, iguanas, marmoset, red-eared slider, sugar gliders, hedgehog, macaws, cockatoos, African grey parrot and conures.
