Endangered monitor lizards face serious threat from poachers in Warangal
Warangal: Causing much worry to wildlife lovers, endangered monitor lizards are facing serious threat for their lives in erstwhile Warangal district from poachers, thanks to ‘indifferent attitude’ of the forest staff. Though the monitor lizards are protected under Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Act, the forest staff, particularly from the lower cadre, are apathetic with regard to the protection of these reptiles due to different reasons.
The forest officials recovered seven monitor lizards including two carcasses under Atmakur police station limits on July 1 after arresting one Kota Yadagiri of Balaji Nagar in Warangal city. It is said that the accused person along with two others had caught the lizards in the hillocks near the Pattipaka village of Shayampet mandal in the district. But sources said that the persons, who tipped off the forest officials and helped them arrest the poacher, were indeed looked down upon by the forest officials instead of appreciating their efforts.
Moreover, two other poachers managed to give a slip to the forest officials due to lackadaisical response to the issue. Surprisingly, a few police personnel at the Atmakur police station where the monitor lizards were kept for some time until the forest officials came, had even asked the informers to allow them to take two lizards as they wanted to feast on the delicacies of lizards. Even the police are said to be unaware that hunting of the monitor lizards is a serious crime as per the wildlife act .
Meanwhile, a video of roasting a monitor lizard atm a campfire purportedly at Gollapally village (Yadav Nagar) in Hanamkonda district went viral on the social media platforms. But no action was initiated to trace the accused by the forest officials who remain ‘busy’ with some other work. Popularly known as ‘hatha jodi’, the genitals of a male monitor lizard are reportedly sold as a plant product having magical powers by the poachers. “Monitor lizards’ genitals are sold as a charm or an aphrodisiac and many people believe that the meat of monitor lizards is a good medicine for the back pain,” said a retired forest official.
The poachers, mainly belonging to some tribes, go for hunting the monitor lizards during the monsoon with hunting dogs. They also use the snares and traps to catch the monitor lizards. These reptiles are generally found in the hillocks and grazing lands. Unfortunately, the hunters do not have much idea about the endangered species of Indian monitor lizard.
They are known as ‘Udumulu’ in Telugu. It is said that poachers had intensified their operations in recent years as the species commands ‘high aphrodisiac value’ not only in India but also in South East Asian countries. Due to rampant poaching, the numbers of the monitor lizards have started declining, and their habitat too moved deep inside the forest. The poachers are selling monitor lizards for anywhere between Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 per lizard in the black market.
However, Warangal District Forest Officer (DFO) Arpana Syal told ‘Telangana Today’ that they were taking steps to check the poaching of monitor lizards. “We will also investigate the issue of two other accused who gave a slip to the forest officials,” she said. The DFO also said that they would take steps to inform the people of tribal communities and others about the punishment given as per the law for hunting the monitor lizards.
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