Tirupati: Sri Venkateswara University has become a strange blend of academia and wildlife sanctuary. Alongside students and faculty, the campus now plays host to stray dogs, pigs, deer, and even the occasional leopard causing much fear to everyone.

Those living in the Prakash Nagar staff quarters are fed up with the constant presence of animals, especially the pigs and dogs that roam freely. Morning walkers on campus are often startled by dozens of dogs, whose growing numbers are partly thanks to well-meaning folks feeding them biscuits. But the animal kingdom is not the only issue. Scattered liquor bottles, open drains, and a strong lack of campus cleanliness have turned the once-serene university into something far less appealing. The absence of a proper security system has only made things worse, allowing anyone – human or animal – to wander in unchecked. If the university authorities do not step up soon, SVU risks becoming more jungle than campus.