Kendrapara, June 16: The forest personnel of Bhitarkanika National Park have arrested two youths for capturing a collared Kingfisher and sharing its killing live on social media.
The forest personnel swung into action and nabbed the two youths on Thursday after the video went viral on social media.
The arrested youths were working in a prawn ghery. While one of them was arrested from Bandhamal village under Rajkanika block, the other one was arrested from Mahakalapada.
Kanika forest range Ranger Manas Ranjan Das said the two accused caught the collared Kingfisher species and filmed its live killing.
Later, one of them posted the live-killing video of the species on his Instagram account which went viral.
When the viral video came to the notice of the forest personnel, the forest personnel conducted raids and managed to arrest the two.
The arrested youths were booked under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act and will be produced before the local court on Friday.
The global population size of the collared kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) has not been quantified.
The overall population trend of these species is considered to be decreasing.
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated the kingfisher species and has listed it as of “Least Concern”.
