BELLARY: Wildlife activists have appealed to the people to forgo ritual hunting during this year's Ugadi festival.

Ritual hunting is common among tribal people in the district during major festivals such as Ugadi, Holi and Dasara.

A couple of days prior to the Ugadi festival, people move about in groups, beating drums and carrying daggers, spears and even rifles to kill the wild animals that come in their way. Wild boars, deer, hares, wild cats, civet, lizards, porcupines, pangolins, jackals, peafowl and francolins fall prey to these hunters.

The hunting of animals goes on unabated in Hospet and Sandur taluks for two days and two nights till Ugadi with the hunters combing the forest area. On Ugadi, the hunters rejoice by taking out a victory procession exhibiting their catch.

Last year, a team of wildlife activists, along with

Sangamesh Math, Range Forest Officer, Wildlife range, Daroji Bear Sanctuary, kept a vigil in Kamalapur and Daroji forest areas to prevent people from hunting.

This year too, Kumaraswamy, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Ranebennur; Mr. Math and Abdul Samad, have planned to go round the forest area to prevent the ritual hunting.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Arvind Srivastava has banned ritual hunting of wild animals during the festival.

He has promulgated the ban order under Section 35 of the Karnataka Police Act, which will be in force up to March 31.

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