Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jun 29: It is learnt that in connection with an incident in which domestic and street dogs chased, bit, and claimed lives of ten barking deer inside Pilikula Biological Park apart from injuring five more, the deceased barking deer were buried without keeping the forest department informed. It is said that even the district administration was informed late.
After some domestic and street dogs which entered the enclosure of barking deer inside Pilikula Biological Park chased and bit the barking deer, ten animals had died and five more had suffered injuries. As per Wildlife Protection Act 1974, there is provision to take action if the people complain to the forest department.
It is said that in such cases, post-mortem should have been performed in the presence of forest officials before burying the carcasses. A senior official in the forest department said that the director of the biological park had not informed the forest department about the said development.
Pilikula Biological Park is being converted into an independent authority and gazette notification has been issued. However, because of monetary considerations, the creation of the authority is getting delayed. Even if it is transformed into authority, the people have the right to complain to the forest department in case of injuries or death of wildlife there, it is said. The deputy conservator of forests has the right to issue notice to the director of the biological park and hold investigation.
Already there have been campaigns in the social media urging the authorities to take action against the guilty relating to the above incident. Many, in their articles, have been accusing the officials of the park behaving irresponsibly and causing the death of animals.