Rhesus Macaque Forced to Perform in Circus Rescued by Police and Local Forest Division, Following PETA India Complaint
Sanguo,The monkey has been shifted to People for Animals Hyderabad’s shelter for urgent primary care. Forest officials are now taking the necessary steps to release the animal back into a natural habitatPETA India is grateful to the Hyderabad Forest Division and Hyderabad Police, particularly Shri Sai Prakash, Range Forest Officer, for their swift action in rescuing the illegally confined monkey.
It is illegal to use monkeys for performances in India. In 1998, the central government issued a notification prohibiting the use of monkeys for performances under Section 22 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Government of India (MOEFCC), in its letter bearing F. No. WL-8/91/2024-WL, dated 09 September 2024, clarified that rhesus macaques are protected under Appendix II of Schedule IV of the Wild Life Protection Act (WPA), 1972. And as per Section 49M of the WPA, 1972, every person possessing a living specimen of an animal species listed in Schedule IV is required to report the details of such animal in their possession to the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW).
To ensure implementation of Section 49M, the MOEFCC notified the Living Animal Species (Reporting and Registration) Rules, 2024, vide Gazette Notification dated 28 February 2024. As per the Rules every person who is in possession of any living specimen of species listed in Schedule IV of the WPA, 1972, is required to report the details of such animals and submit an application for registration electronically through the PARIVESH 2.0 portal to the CWLW of the concerned state, within a period of six months from the issue of Gazette Notification and or within thirty days of possession of such animal species.
Thus, keeping rhesus macaques in captivity without Parivesh portal registration is a punishable offence that may lead to imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh, or both.
In addition to being revered in Hinduism, rhesus macaques play an important role in local ecosystems by dispersing seeds, which is largely due to their predominantly fruit-based diet, and their absence can be detrimental to forests.
