kolkata the state forest department has issued notices to several models photographers and shoot coordinators who have been recently found posing with birds like owls and parrots during organized studio photoshoots and flaunting them on social media a senior officer of wildlife crime control cell said they recently came across a trend on social media where multiple professional models were found shooting with birds and other animals at many posts the photographers or shoot coordinators even flaunted about the animals and shared their experiences about the shoot so far around 10 people have been sent notices and asked to turn up for interrogation before the office of forest range officer in howrah within a week failing which legal action will be initiated against them they have been booked under sections 9 11 39 48a 49a 50 and 51 of the wildlife protection act 1972 for illegal wildlife capture transport and possession of the animals in violation of the act if proved guilty they can be jailed for up to seven yearsthe capture transportation and possession of such animals protected under wildlife protection act is prohibited and a punishable offence officials said that the use of animals for images or videos is on a steady rise and in most cases the offenders claimed they were unaware due to the lack of proper knowledge that they were committing a crimethere were posts where the models dressed as goddess lakshmi posed with live owl and there were also photos and videos of women holding live parrots in their hands we have sent notices to all of them and asked them to appear for interrogation said an officersome of the respondents claimed they didnt know that they were committing a crime while organising the shoots with the animals that is the situation with majority of us people need to be made aware that it is illegal to cage and keep the animals and birds like owls parrots turtles and macaws as pets for several years it is also illegal to use them in shoots without prior permission the officer saidwhen toi contacted two such models they claimed they did not know that shooting with parrots and owls was illegal both of them refused to be quoted as per the union law ministrys advice to the information and broadcasting ministry shooting with animals can only be done after formal approval of animal welfare board of india and after prior intimation of date time and exact location of the shooting are communicated to the board if the details of shooting are not intimated to the board it reserves the right not to issue noc