The worst affected districts are Warangal, Karimnagar, Adilabad, and Khammam. Locals attribute the surge in illegal hunting and lapses in the ‘Catch the Trap’ drive.
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Published : April 14, 2025 at 7:38 PM IST
2 Min Read
Kothagudem: Wild animals are facing a serious threat across Telangana due to rampant poaching. Species such as deer, wild boars, mountain goats, and rabbits are among those frequently targeted by poachers.
The worst affected districts are Warangal, Karimnagar, Adilabad, and Khammam, with locals attributing the surge in illegal hunting to lapses in the ‘Catch the Trap’ anti-poaching drive.
“Some people have turned poaching into a means of livelihood. And despite stringent laws under the Wildlife Protection Act, enforcement remains weak on the ground,” said a local.
A recent incident in the Warangal district puts a spotlight on the grave situation. An accident near Pakala Cheruvu in Khanapuram Mandal involving an auto-rickshaw and an RTC bus exposed the poachers’ attempt to smuggle wildlife animals’ meat, as the bus driver and conductor found wild boar meat and a dead mountain goat inside the auto-rickshaw, after which the four occupants fled the scene.
Similarly, poachers caught a honey badger in the Mulugu district, but it was saved by the forest officials, who spotted the trap in time. They rescued the animal and released it into a sanctuary.
Officials alleged that farmers were also inadvertently endangering wildlife by erecting electric fences around their fields to keep out wild boars. “Animals searching for food and water often fall victim to these electrified barriers,” they said.
Falling groundwater also makes wild animals vulnerable to poachers’ attacks. “Low levels mean that many boreholes are running dry, and water tankers are not consistently replenishing the saucer pits. Consequently, wild animals venture into villages in search of water, only to fall into poachers’ traps,” officials said.
During the past two years, authorities have registered 24 poaching-related cases in the Khammam district and 40 in the Mulugu district. Several more cases have been reported in the Kothagudem and Gudur divisions of Mahabubabad district.
“We are taking strong measures to protect wildlife. Surveillance systems (Catch the Trap) have been set up at 40 locations across the district. We’re conducting extensive patrols with beat, range, section officers, and other staff. Traps and electric wires set by poachers are being dismantled. Hunting of wildlife will not be tolerated,” said Kishta Goud, District Forest Officer, Bhadradri Kothagudem.
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