India, Aug. 22 -- The forest department rescued 42 Munias and arrested two wildlife traffickers from Ulwe Node area of Panvel taluka on Thursday. Munias come under Schedule II, Part B of the Wildlife Protection Act, which states that the species is native to India and any attempt to illegally sell or harm them is strictly prohibited.

According to the police, the traffickers, Devendra Lalchand Patil, a resident of Koparkhairane, Thane, and Haresh Damodar Patil, a resident of Pen, Raigad were produced before the Panvel court and remanded to two days of police custody.

With the help of the Wildlife Welfare Association (WWA), the forest department raided a pet shop located in Ulwe and found the caged birds. "We have a unit called Wildlife C...