West Bengal government to soon impose ban on breeding Indian species of birds

The West Bengal government is set to implement a comprehensive prohibition on the breeding of Indian bird species, as announced by State Forest Minister Jyotipriya Mallick. The ban is likely to take effect in August, with strict penalties for violations.

Under the new law, all Indian bird species will be prohibited from being kept as pets. Offenders will face severe consequences, as the authorities intend to take strong action against those who defy the ban.

While there will be restrictions on keeping exotic birds as well, owners will be allowed to have them solely for breeding purposes after obtaining a license upon paying a registration fee of Rs. 15,000. Public display and open-market sales of exotic birds will not be permitted.

To ensure compliance, the forest department plans to launch an intensive awareness campaign before taking legal measures against existing owners of Indian bird species as pets.

An official from the state forest department clarified that keeping Indian birds as pets is already prohibited nationwide. However, many remain unaware of this law, and Indian bird species, particularly parrots, are commonly kept as pets. The new state law aims to address this issue with stringent measures.