A jackal carcass was found on Sunday night in Kharghar by a local resident. The carcass was noticed by activist Seema Tank’s friend, who informed Tank, and she subsequently notified the forest department. Tank criticised the authorities for their failure to protect wildlife and their habitats.
The carcass has been sent for post-mortem. This follows a similar incident in March, when a golden jackal was found dead in the area, prompting concerns over encroachments. “This is a case of hit-and-run but the lack of CCTV footage makes it difficult to confirm,” Tank said.
NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar said, “This is a very serious repercussion of the rising animal-human conflict due to the encroachments and destruction of mangroves and wetlands in Kharghar.” It is highly disturbing that CIDCO has not yet handed over a large stretch of mangroves to the forest department despite the six-year-old High Court orders to do so, Kumar said. Illegal fishponds are thriving in Kharghar’s intertidal wetlands, despite local complaints.
Kumar explained that jackals, deprived of food sources like fish, often wander onto roads, increasing the risk of encountering dogs and contracting rabies, which can be fatal to humans. Environmentalists have called for a wildlife census in Kharghar’s mangrove forest and measures to protect the area.
The carcass is currently at the Panvel veterinary hospital for post-mortem, with a report expected in a couple of days, according to forest officer AB Ghuge.
