Summary:
While there are routine reports of smuggling of birds, turtles, elephant tusks and rhino horns, instances of coral smuggling are rare. WCCB officials said live corals are very sensitive to water parameters and they have temporarily engaged the accused under a custody bond (zimmanama) for maintenance of the corals. He identified the seized live corals under genus Goniopora sp, Favites sp and Symphyllia sp. Court nod for returnA court in Barrackpore on Saturday granted permission for the live corals to be transported back to Tamil Nadu. “It is not easy to extract a live coral from its reefs by bare hands; tools like hammers and chisel must have been used..