Wildlife disrupted at Hyderabad University after bulldozing of trees

Hyderabad: After the Telangana government deployed heavy machinery and bulldozers to clear trees across Kancha Gachibowli adjacent to Hyderabad Central University, the area's wildlife has been desperately seeking shelter.

On Friday, a spotted deer from Kancha Gachibowli wandered onto the HCU campus where it was attacked by stray dogs.

A group of students rescued the animal by driving away the dogs and transported it to a veterinary hospital.

In a separate incident, another deer entered a residence in Gopanpally, NTR Nagar, near the HCU campus. Residents contacted forest officials after discovering the deer inside the home.

According to authorities, the deer likely strayed from nearby forest areas due to ongoing tree felling on the HCU campus, forcing it to venture into residential zones.

In yet another incident, a third deer was spotted on the HCU campus on Friday. Video footage of the injured deer being transported has circulated widely on social media platforms. Witnesses reported that a pack of dogs attacked the deer between Tagore International House and J-Hostel on campus.

During the rescue effort, the deer reportedly struck one of the security guards with its horns. Students provided first aid and transported the animal to Nanakramguda veterinary hospital for treatment.

Another video circulating on social media shows a deer wandering onto university grounds and grazing near campus buildings after the state government cleared a substantial portion of trees and vegetation in Kancha Gachibowli.

Students have long advocated that the controversial 400 acres of Kancha Gachibowli serves as vital habitat for diverse flora and fauna—a claim consistently rejected by the government, which denies the presence of deer or other wildlife in the area.

Ecologists and environmentalists counter that the Kancha Gachibowli forest adjacent to the University of Hyderabad campus supports extraordinary biodiversity, including over 700 flowering plant species, 10 mammal species, 15 reptile species, and approximately 230 bird species. The area also features geological formations dating back more than a billion years.

The diverse fauna includes peafowl, spotted deer, star tortoises, flap shells, wild boars, hares, rabbits, Indian grey mongooses, porcupines, monitor lizards, Indian rock pythons, boa snakes, cobras, and Russell's vipers.

Numerous bird species have also been documented in the area, including vultures, hawks, grouse, quail, Asian openbills, painted storks, cormorants, anhingas, pelicans, herons, and ibises.