DNA analysis of seized lion cub throws a challenge for wildlife crime
The Hindu
Law is not clear on prosecution in cases of smuggling of hybrid animals
Genome sequencing of a lion cub seized in Kolkata during an alleged smuggling attempt more than two years ago has thrown up an interesting challenge to legally prosecute the case in court of law as the cub is identified as hybrid and shared its ancestry from Asiatic and African lion.
In June 2019, officials of the West Bengal Forest Department and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau seized it from Belghoria Expressway in Kolkata. Three persons were arrested for smuggling it and are facing trial in the North 24 Parganas.
The rescued cub was later transferred to the Alipore Zoological Garden, Kolkata, and the State Zoo Authority approached the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) for determining its identity — whether it was of African or Asiatic origin.
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