Forest officials under fire as poachers openly sell wild species in Nalgonda
HYDERABAD: The illegal hunting and sale of wild animals and birds, including wild quails, monitor lizards and wild pigs, continues unchecked in Nalgonda district, in violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Forest officials accused of inaction despite open trade
Forest department officials appear indifferent to the issue even as poachers openly sell protected species in town markets. While authorities prohibit the trade of wild common quail, farmers legally raise Japanese quail. Some poultry and meat shop owners allegedly conceal wild quails among Japanese quails in cages to avoid detection. Poachers are also directly selling live wild quails in towns such as Nalgonda and Nakrekal, often moving through main markets without interference from police or forest officials.
Wild species sold in markets under guise of farmed birds
Poachers are reportedly selling a pair of wild quails for ₹500, compared to ₹150 for a pair of Japanese quails. In several towns, poachers are selling monitor lizards, which are also protected under the Act. Their activity usually peaks during the monsoon, when the reptiles emerge from burrows due to waterlogging.
In one instance, a woman in Nakrekal carried a live monitor lizard with its neck tied to its tail while moving through residential areas to sell it. Prices for live monitor lizards range from ₹600 to ₹1,200 depending on size and weight.
An older resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, said locals believe that consuming the meat of wild quail and monitor lizard cures ailments such as asthma, haemorrhoids, rheumatism and arthritis. “People think it improves health and strength, so they continue to buy despite the cost and the law,” he said.
Wildlife experts said such beliefs lack scientific basis and called for stricter enforcement of the Wildlife (Protection) Act to curb the illegal trade.
