Aizawl: Three smuggled exotic wildlife species, including spider monkey, were rescued from two persons in Mizoram's Khawlzawl district, police said on Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team intercepted a car at Tuisenphai checkpost and recovered two spider monkeys (female with baby) and one Indri Lemur, Khawzawl additional SP Lalringliana Pachuau told PTI.
The exotic species were smuggled from Myanmar, and both the accused hail from Champhai town of the northeastern state, the officer said.
The two were arrested on Friday, Pachuau said.
A spider monkey has long, thin arms with hooklike hands that help the animal swing through trees. The species is called spider monkey because it looks like a spider and hangs upside down from its tail with arms and legs dangling.
Spider monkeys are found mostly in the tropical rainforests of Mexico and Bolivia.
Indri is the largest of lemurs with a rudimentary tail and is found in the forests of Madagascar.
The rescued animals and the vehicle were handed over to the customs preventive force in Champhai, the officer said.
The state police is making massive efforts to prevent smuggling of wildlife species and other illegal items, including drugs and Burmese areca nuts, he added.
