Stray dogs kill deer on Hyderabad University campus

Wildlife displaced from Kancha Gachibowli forest adjoining the University of Hyderabad continues to suffer fatal attacks by stray dogs. On Saturday, two deer were killed near the MH-K hostel, highlighting the growing threat to animals after large-scale forest clearance.

Hyderabad: Wildlife, which was displaced from its natural habitat after the State government cleared a part of the forest in Kancha Gachibowli, on the University of Hyderabad (UoH) campus here, continued to fall prey to attacks.

On a single day, two deer were attacked and killed by stray dogs near the MH-K hostel on the university campus on Saturday.

---

In one incident, a pack of dogs chased a deer and attacked it, ripping apart its abdomen. In another case, a deer’s carcass was found with dismembered legs behind the hostel, indicating the killing.

“Since it was a holiday, we were moving around the campus in the evening and found a deer’s legs that were dismembered. Later, we heard the sound of dogs chasing a deer, which was whining. By the time we reached the spot, the dogs had killed the deer and started eating it,” said a student and member of the Save HCU.

Wildlife activists and Save HCU members urged the university administration to take immediate responsibility and implement effective measures to protect displaced animals and prevent further such incidents.

This was not the first incident of dogs attacking deer on the university campus. In fact, such attacks surged after the government cleared some of the Kancha Gachibowli forest abutting the university last year.

The Kancha Gachibowli forest was home to over 700 flowering plants, 10 species of mammals, 15 species of reptiles and around 230 species of birds, besides rock formations that date back over a billion years.

After deciding to auction these 400 acres of biodiversity-rich land, the State government felled trees in around 100 acres, leaving animals more vulnerable to attacks. About four to five deer that ventured out of their habitat were killed by stray dogs last year.

Taking the case suo motu, the Supreme Court directed the government to halt cutting of trees and come up with a holistic plan to balance development with environmental protection. The government was also asked to come up with a restoration plan.