Poaching concern rises in Dharwad forests, drives crackdown

Hubballi: Rising hunting and poaching in forest areas under Kalghatagi, Alnavar and Hubballi ranges have prompted the forest department to intensify enforcement in Dharwad district.Deputy conservator of forests (DCF), Dharwad division, Shaikh Abdul Aleem Siddiqui, told TOI that many people, particularly in forest-fringe villages, are unaware that hunting is punishable under the Wildlife Protection Act.

“The hunting of wild animals is increasing, but it is not rampant in the district as we have intensified security measures to deal with it and patrolling in all vulnerable spots in the district forest area,” he said.He said demand for wild boar and spotted deer meat is driving poaching. “More than 30 hunting and poaching cases were reported in the last few years, and most of the accused have targeted either wild boar or spotted deer to eat their meat.

In one or two cases, rabbits were killed in hunting,” he said. While locals consume spotted deer meat, wild boar meat is sometimes transported to Goa where there is high demand, he added.Officials said gathering intelligence remains a key challenge as villagers are often reluctant to share information, fearing backlash. “Now, we are taking villagers into our confidence, explaining their role in preventing and protecting the forest and wildlife.

We are also training our informants, keeping their identity secret, which is helping us to crack down on poaching and other illegal activities,” he said.The department is also distributing posters detailing punishment for hunting and taking steps to protect crops and prevent wild animals from straying into human habitats.Two held for poaching spotted deerForest officials Tuesday arrested two persons for allegedly hunting a spotted deer and consuming its meat at Lalagatti village in Kalakeri range of Dharwad taluk.The accused have been identified as Fakirappa Madivalappa Myagadi, 42, of Lalagatti village, and Vasudev Parashuram Naik, 34, of Hosayallapur, Dharwad. Efforts are under way to trace others involved.Acting on a tip-off that spotted deer meat was being consumed in the village, a forest department team conducted a raid and seized the deer’s head, meat and weapons allegedly used for cutting it.The accused have been booked under the Wildlife Protection Act for hunting a protected wild animal, officials said.