Animals fall prey to human cruelty

​Mahbubnagar: With severe drought condition prevailing across the district, it is not just human beings who are at the receiving end of sun god’s wrath, but hundreds of wild animals are falling prey to human cruelty. Animals in the Nallamala and adjoining forests in Mahbubnagar are the worst affected as they have been coming out of their habitat in search of water, making them susceptible to hunting.

During the past three months starting from March, hundreds of wild animals such as deer and boars have been killed by hunters. In addition to this, thousands of birds, especially peacocks and others who come in search of water and food have been poached in the adjoining villages of Nallamala forest and elsewhere in the district.

According to Forest Range Officer Mahender, this summer has been a tough time for forest dwellers. Especially, deer have fallen prey to both humans and other carnivorous. “Due to drying of forest all across the districts, especially the deer population has slightly lowered.

Severe heat conditions and lack of adequate rains during the past two years have dried the entire forest regions including the Nallamalas. This has led to drying up of water bodies which are sources of drinking water for animals in the forest. Because of this scarcity, there have been increased incidents of man-animal conflicts as most of the crops in the nearby forest areas were totally destroyed by wild boars, deer and peacocks.

Taking this as an advantage, the villagers have either resorted to poison the animals or set up traps to catch them for meat,” informed the officer. Recently a deer which came in search of water from Bontagutta forest region to a nearby temple pond in Mahbubnagar was killed by a tiger.

Similarly, farmers of Mangalikunta Thanda who were tired of boars destroying their crops set up electrical fences and killed half a dozen wild pigs, which were later sold for Rs 1,500 each for meat. “Recently we have spotted a tiger venturing into our village at nights and attacking cows and calves. Peacocks and pigs are spoiling our crops. We have no other option but to either scare them off or set up a trap to kill them,” said a villager from Magalikunta Thanda.

Similar is the case with the villages adjoining the forest regions in Kollapur mandal. Most of the youngsters have turned into hunters to kill birds, rabbits, peacocks and wild pigs. Forest department officials said there was a rise in incidents of hunting in Somasila and Amaragiri mandals adjoining Nallamalla forest. “Unfortunately, this year drought has had a toll on wildlife in the district.

Many birds, deer and peacocks have been killed and sold for meat for Rs 300 and more. The Forest department personals are also turning a blind eye on this issue and not taking any serious action against the culprits. They should implement the animal protection laws strictly to save wildlife or else it will destabilise the entire ecosystem,” opined animal rights activists.

By:A Raju