MITHI: Rights activists and villagers have expres­sed deep concern over unabated hunting and poaching of deer, blue bull and other endangered wild animals in the drought-stricken desert region.

The villagers of Nagar­parkar area disclosed to this reporter on Wednesday that local wildlife department officials often allowed influential people to hunt down the vulnerable deer and blue bulls which had greatly enfeebled due to long drawn out drought.

“The engendered animals, which have grown weak for lack of water and fodder have become an easy prey for hunters and poachers,” said Faiz Khoso of Nagarparkar town.

He claimed that a large number of animals had been poached in recent weeks in connivance with the local authorities of the wildlife department.

He complained that no arrangements had been made to provide water and fodder to the wild animals in severe water crisis in the hilly region and said that many animals had become so sick and weak that they could not even run away for their life when hunters chased them on long vehicles.

Bharumal Amrani, an envi­ron­mentalist from Chel­har town, stressed the need for immediate measures to save the animals, whose number was fast shrinking due to excessive hunting.

An official of the wildlife department said on condition of anonymity that poaching of animals of rare species continued unabated but they had not enough staff to keep hunters in check in the vast desert region. He admitted that drought and unchecked hunting and poaching had taken a heavy toll on rare species of animals particularly blue bulls, whose number had dropped to about 300 to 250 in Nagaparkar area.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2018