By Newswire Editorial
Two German tourists and a local tourist guide have been arrested by the Department of Wildlife Conservation for allegedly collecting and possessing live wild animals and animal parts in the Babawa Uddakandara forest area near Tissamaharama.
According to the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the arrests were made on November 2 following intelligence that the suspects were collecting reptiles and insects in the area.
Acting on the information, Wildlife officers disguised themselves as tourists and conducted surveillance at several locations during the night.
The officers subsequently identified two German nationals and a local tourist guide and searched their accommodation at the Yala Namba campsite. However, no illegal items were initially discovered.
Further investigations led officers to inspect the local guide’s accommodation after he allegedly attempted to mislead them by identifying a different room as his own.
During the search, Wildlife officers recovered a large quantity of live animals and animal parts, including pythons, reptiles, moths, dragonflies, porcupine quills, deer bones, cattle teeth and peacock feathers.
Equipment used to capture snakes and other animals, containers for preserving specimens and bottles containing various chemicals were also seized.
The three suspects were produced before the Tissamaharama Magistrate’s Court on November 3, along with the seized items.
The Magistrate ordered that the live animals be handed over to the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens, while the case is scheduled to be taken up again on November 6.
The Department of Wildlife Conservation noted that foreign nationals had previously been arrested for illegally collecting wildlife and animal specimens, raising concerns over the theft of biological and genetic resources.
The operation was conducted by Wildlife officers attached to the Panahaduwa Wildlife Range Office of Udawalawe National Park. (Newswire)