Tamil Nadu: Actor Robo Shankar fined Rs 2.5 lakh for keeping Alexandrine parakeets at home

The parakeets were recently spotted in a couple of videos uploaded by the actor’s family on social media.

He added that the birds are currently at the Guindy National Park in Chennai and will be released in the wild in a few days. (File)

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The Tamil Nadu Wildlife Crime Control Bureau Monday imposed a fine of Rs 2.5 lakh on actor Robo Shankar for keeping two Alexandrine parakeets at his residence in Chennai.

The parakeets were recently spotted in a couple of videos uploaded by the actor’s family on social media. Based on a complaint, the authorities inspected the actor’s residence in Chennai’s Valasaravakkam last week and seized the two birds as they are protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Speaking to indianexpress.com, an official from the Tamil Nadu Wildlife Crime Control Bureau noted that the actor was in Sri Lanka for shooting at the time of inspection and appeared at their office Friday after returning to the city.

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“He [Robo Shankar] was very cooperative. Honestly, he didn’t know it was illegal to keep the birds. There is no question of permission here, it is illegal to keep such native wild animals at home. It was ignorance and there was nothing intentional here, but since the birds are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, we have imposed a penalty. It’s not just him, many here are unaware of such things and they are keeping exotic species at home. He has informed us that he will spread awareness about such things going forward,” the official said.

He added that the birds are currently at the Guindy National Park in Chennai and will be released in the wild in a few days.

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