Skip to content

Three Indian Giant Squirrels Rescued From Illegal Wildlife Trade in Pune

Indian giant squirrel clinging to a tree trunk with its head and eye clearly visible
Conservation · Trade & poaching

India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence rescued three Indian giant squirrels (Ratufa indica) during an operation against illegal wildlife trafficking in Pune, Maharashtra, on 20 May 2026.

Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted two people and found three live giant squirrels concealed in two corrugated cartons. A follow-up search led to the recovery of seven live Indian star tortoises. Both species are listed under Schedule I of India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

The rescued animals, the two apprehended people and the packing materials were handed over to the Forest Department for further action. The squirrels and tortoises were subsequently admitted to the Wildlife Transit Treatment Centre operated by RESQ in coordination with the Forest Department.

Forest officials noted that Indian giant squirrels are not commonly encountered in wildlife trafficking seizures, making the recovery unusual. DRI said the investigation was continuing into the network behind the transport of the protected animals.

Sources and image credit

  1. The Indian Express. (2026, May 21). 3 Malabar giant squirrels, 7 star tortoises rescued in DRI crackdown in Pune.Report based on the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence statement. Three live Malabar giant squirrels were found concealed in two corrugated cartons during a Pune operation on 20 May 2026; a follow-up search recovered seven Indian star tortoises. The animals and two apprehended people were handed to the Forest Department.
  2. Punekar News. (2026, May 21). Pune: DRI Rescues Rare Malabar Giant Squirrels and Star Tortoises in Wildlife Trafficking Crackdown.Supporting report reproducing details of the DRI operation on 20 May 2026, including the recovery of three giant squirrels from two cartons and seven Indian star tortoises.

Image: N. A. Naseer / Wikimedia Commons — wild Indian giant squirrel on a tree trunk in India, 2 April 2008; representative image, not one of the animals rescued in the Pune trafficking case · CC BY-SA 2.5 India · Source

About this content: This story was produced with AI assistance within an editorial workflow developed by Wildlife Vagabond. Editorial responsibility remains with Wildlife Vagabond.How AI is used

Trade & poaching

SPECIES IN THIS STORY

Species in this story

Indian Giant Squirrel Ratufa indica Explore species

Independent research and conservation news archive

Did you find this information useful?

Wildlife Vagabond is independently built and maintained. Voluntary support helps cover source verification, hosting and continued work on research and conservation news.

Support Wildlife Vagabond

The news archive will remain freely available.