Hailakandi, Assam:

In a joint operation, Assam Police and forest department officials today rescued 52 smuggled Indonesian birds and animals. The rescued birds and animals include Black Lori birds, Red and Blue Lories, Babirusa Swine and Hornbills.

The seizures were made near the Assam-Mizoram border in Hailakandi with cops arresting two smugglers during the operation.

According to the forest officials, among the fifty-two rescued creatures forty-two of them are Red and Blue Lories, six black lories, two hornbills and one Babirusa (Indonesian swine).

According to the officials of Bilaipur Police Station, the arrested people have been identified as Moinuddin Ali and Samsul Haque. Both are residents of Assam’s Hojai area.

In September last year, at least eight rare animals, including a black macaque and gorillas, were rescued in Assam’s Cachar district on Monday, police sources have said.

The rescued animals, suspected to be smuggled from Myanmar- included two Panamanian white-faced capuchins (a rare species of monkey), two common opossums, four black gorillas, and the black macaque- have been handed to the forest department officials.

In April 2023, seven spider monkeys and two black and white ruffed lemurs were rescued from a vehicle near the Assam-Mizoram border.