Love exotic pets? Here’s what you need to know

Kannada star Darshan Thoogudeepa, and his wife, Vijaya Lakshmi, have been booked by the forest department for illegally possessing bar-headed geese at their farmhouse, under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (WPA). Incidentally, Darshan is the brand ambassador of the Karnataka forest department.
A forest mobile squad raided the actor's farmhouse on Mysuru-T Narasipura Road on Friday and seized four bar-headed geese, that come under the list of Schedule 4 animals under the WPA.The foresters released the birds back into the wild near Hadinaru village, after permission from a local court.
Darshan’s farm was raided after a video of him talking to an RJ about bar-headed geese from Mongolia went viral on social media. Apart from Darshan and his wife, a case has also been filed against farm manager Nagaraj, said Deputy Conservator of Forest, B Bhaskar.
The officers also found a black swan, ostrich, and emu, besides other species of birds during the raid, for which they have asked the farm manager to produce documents.
“Bar-headed geese are wildlife and one cannot, under any circumstance, keep them in captivity. Some people like to keep birds and animals that belong in the wild. Darshan is an icon of animal conservation, and it’s sad for all of us who work for animal welfare to hear this. I hope with this, people become more aware of the legality of keeping animals. Education and awareness are the need of the hour,” says Sudha Narayanan of Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

Know the law
·According to the Wildlife Protection Act, those found owning species listed under Schedule I and Schedule II can be punished with three to seven years of imprisonment and a fine of at least Rs 10,000 under Section 51(1).
·Those possessing animals listed under Part I Schedules II, III and IV, can be imprisoned for up to three years and/or fined up to Rs 25,000, if they fail to produce Certificate of Ownership, permits or licences.”
Why is owning bar-headed geese illegal?
One of the highest flying birds, the bar-headed geese are migratory birds that make their seasonal visits to Mysuru. Avid birdwatcher Ravikrishnan says, “These are exotic species of birds which fly from Mongolia, especially during the winter, to Karnataka, and can cover 1,600 km a day. They will be stressed if constrained. They need to stay in their natural habitat, away from humans, to survive.”
'Difficult to rehabilitate'
Whether an animal or a bird that was once held captive can survive in their natural habitat will depend on many factors. Jayanthi Kallam of Avian and Reptile Rehabilitation Centre tells us, “It depends on a case to case basis – how long they have been held captive, their physical body condition and mental state, their flying capabilities and species-appropriate behaviour. Life out in the wild is not simple. They have to be fit for it before they can be released.”
Illegal pets in India
The government of India has banned the ownership of certain animals, including:
·Birds like the Rose Ringed Parakeet, Alexandrine Parakeet, Red Munia, Jungle Maina, African Grey Parrot, Blue-throated Macaw, and Yellow-crested Cockatoo.
·Reptiles like the Indian Star Tortoise and the Red Ear Slider
·Cetaceans (dolphins and porpoises), penguins, otters, and manatees
·Wild snakes, and monkeys that cannot be trained for entertainment