A wildlife body named Wildlife SOS, this Friday alleged that the online retailer Amazon website was selling wildlife specimens which includes an array of sea horses and alligator heads that are protected under the country’s laws. The organization also urged the company to stop their sale. Wildlife SOS claimed that the website was offering wildlife trophies, snares and manuals on hunting which includes alligator heads, preserved snakes, butterflies, starfish, rare beetles and seahorses along with dangerous trapping and killing devices like snares. The body noted it was “incredulous” that a company like Amazon would list items for sale listed under protected species in India.
A spokesperson for Amazon India, however, said that the company supports wildlife protection efforts and was in the process of informing the seller about the concerns raised, so that “corrective action” can be taken. According to the spokesperson, Amazon.in supports wildlife protection efforts. We are in the process of informing the seller of the concerns raised so that the seller can take corrective action wherever necessary. According to Wildlife SOS, it has launched a petition asking Amazon to stop selling such items that encourage or propagate maiming, hunting and killing of wildlife, let alone protected species.
The petition has reportedly gathered nearly 7,000 signatures, from across the world, with animal lovers expressing their outrage and vowing to boycott the retailer. The wildlife body said in a statement that the campaign to not just implore the website to stop selling these items but also educating people about snares and the suffering caused to innocent animals by their use. Quoting Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi, the statement said, the government and NGOs like Wildlife SOS are struggling to protect our wildlife and make this country safer for animals, yet we have a giant like Amazon shamefully selling wildlife specimens and animal traps that directly contribute to the slaughter of wildlife.