Karnataka - Bellary   

Killing wild animals is part of their rituals

BELLARY: Ritual hunting, as part of the Ugadi festival, in the Kamalapur forest area near Hampi was a low-key affair last year because of increased vigil by the authorities concerned and campaign by wildlife activists.

“We hope that people in and around Hospet taluk would not kill wild animals this year too,” Samad Kottur of Society for Wildlife and Nature (SWAN), told The Hindu.

This year, Ugadi is celebrated on April 7. This year too ritual hunting has been banned and the Deputy Commissioner has issued orders prohibiting carrying of arms and weapons, moving about in groups in forests, and killing of wild animals as part of the festival. Prohibitory orders will be in force from April 4 to 11. Taking out a procession of carcasses and anybody found with arms and ammunitions will face action.

People of Kamalapura, Hospet, Mariyammanahalli, Seetarama Tanda, Devalapura, Bailuvaddigere, Gadiganur, Daroji, Bukkasagara, Ramasagara and nearby places will not miss ritual hunting.

A few days prior to Ugadi, people go in groups for hunting in the forest for three days and nights. Rabbits, civet cats, jungle cats, birds, monitor lizards, wild boars, storks, cranes, pangolin and porcupine are among the animals they hunt.

Most of these animals are on the verge of extinction, according to wildlife activists.

After returning home from the forest, they take out a procession, exhibiting the carcasses of wild animals in decorated carts on Ugadi day. People, especially the youth, carrying guns and other weapons dance to the traditional band during the procession. After the procession, they dump the carcasses on the outskirts of their village. This indicates that killing of wild animals is part of the rituals they follow.

Officials of the Forest Department and wildlife activists have been making efforts to prevent ritual hunting for the last few years. They intensify night patrolling at Daroji Bear Sanctuary during the Ugadi festival. The patrolling by forest personnel and awareness being created by wildlife activists appear to be yielding results.

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