Hunting of wild animals for meat and hide is going on unabated in the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding forest land, complained locals and environmentalists.

Cases of animal hunting is quite high in Muttodi zone. Hunting is very frequent in the border areas of the wildlife sanctuary and the Bhadra Wildlife Division officials are not providing effective protection to the sanctuary.

Even when cases of hunting wild animals come to light, the officials do not take appropriate steps to check the same. Some low division officials hunt animals using guns, while some forest officials, zonal forest officers and jeep drivers are involved in hunting, they charged.

Since last March, one bison, 3 wild goats, 2 elephants, 5 gaurs and many pigs have been killed. There is a possibility of many more small animals being killed, which cannot be counted easily. 

The sanctuary will soon be devoid of any wild animals, they expressed fear. The reserve forest officials have arrested three hunters, but the wildlife officials have remained inactive so far, it is said.

The sanctuary will be granted crores of rupees under the Project Tiger scheme. However, it is doubted whether the money will be used for protecting animals here.