States » EastPosted at: Oct 28 2026 10:53PM


Bengal: Rare slow loris rescued from wildlife smugglers in Kalyani

Krishnagar, Oct 28 (UNI) A rare slow loris, a nocturnal primate threatened by illegal wildlife trade, has been rescued by Kalyani police, exposing a suspected attempt to traffic a protected wild animal and raising questions about the possible network behind its illegal movement.
Aashish Maurya, Superintendent of Police, Ranaghat, said, “The animal was recovered during a raid on October 27, after police received a tip-off that two men were allegedly planning to smuggle it. The accused, identified as Sujoy Das and Indrajit Mukherjee, were intercepted while moving on a motorcycle and allegedly failed to produce valid documents authorising the animal’s transportation.”
Ajit Singh Yadav, DIG, Murshidabad Range, said, “The rescue is significant because slow lorises are specialised, tree-dwelling primates whose survival depends on suitable forest habitats. Recognisable by their large, forward-facing eyes and slow, deliberate movements, they are primarily active at night and are vulnerable to stress and injury when captured, transported or kept in unsuitable conditions.”
According to Yadav, the Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis), found in parts of northeastern India and adjoining regions of South and Southeast Asia, is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Slow lorises are also threatened by habitat loss, hunting and the illegal trade in exotic animals. Their unusual appearance makes them attractive to some buyers, but they are wild animals with specialised care requirements and should never be treated as pets.
A senior forest official said Slow lorises possess a rare defence mechanism among primates: secretions from glands near their elbows can combine with saliva to produce a toxic bite. This makes untrained handling potentially dangerous to both the animal and people.
According to Maurya, the Kalyani police station acted on the specific intelligence and seized the animal during the operation. A case was registered against the two accused under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and they were arrested.
He also said the accused would be produced before a court and that investigators would seek their custody for further questioning.
Maurya also said, “The immediate challenge for us is to establish where the animal was sourced, where it was being taken and whether a prospective buyer was waiting for it. We are also examining whether the alleged attempt was an isolated incident or part of a wider wildlife trafficking operation with local or interstate links.”
The rescued primate is to be handed over to the forest department for expert assessment, care and further action. Its precise species identification and condition will be important in determining the appropriate course of treatment and rehabilitation, he said.
The seizure has brought attention to a lesser-known dimension of wildlife crime: the illegal movement of protected animals that can be difficult to detect until a tip-off leads investigators to an attempted transaction or transport.
The police investigation will now have to establish whether the two arrested men were acting independently or were allegedly operating as links in a larger trafficking chain, a senior police officer said. UNI BG NST
Tags: #Bengal: Rare slow loris rescued from wildlife smugglers in Kalyani
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