Exotic primate, ball pythons, albino squirrels seized

Kolkata: A primate, considered ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red list, three ball pythons and two albino squirrels were seized by the Customs officials at the Kolkata airport early on Wednesday.The consignment was seized after it reached the airport by a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok. A resident of Hyderabad, who was supposed to deliver the consignment here, was detained for interrogation.The silvery lutung, also known as the silvered leaf monkey or silvery langur, is a medium-size old world monkey native to the coastal, mangrove and riverine forests of southeast Asia. Ball python is a python species found in western and central Africa, where they live in grasslands, shrublands and open forest.Both fall under Appendix II of CITES and hence, are protected under Schedule IV of the country’s wildlife act. Dealing in them may land one in jail for up to three years.