Nine wild animals rescued from a farmhouse near Visakhapatnam

VISAKHAPATNAM: Five sambars of India (Scientific Name: Rusa (Cervus) Hippelaphus), along with four other Schedule-3 wild animals belonging to the deer family, which were illegally reared in a farmhouse near Allumiapalem of Ramachandrapuram village in Kotavurutla mandal limits of Visakhapatnam district, were seized by forest officials on Saturday night. 

The animals were handed over to the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park on Sunday evening. A case was registered by Narsipatnam Forest Department officials. 

According to forest officials, Narsipatnam Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sekhar Babu, along with his department officials and staff, conducted raids on a farmhouse situated amid mango orchards reportedly belonging to Sripathi Raju of Gudiwada village in S. Rayavaram mandal and identified several wild animals there as they are said to be reared by the farmhouse owners, and seized them. Forest officials seized nine wild animals including five sambar deer, three wild sheep (Konda Gorre)  along with one spotted deer (Duppi) and on Sunday they were released into the nearby reserve forest to provide them a natural habitation. 

As these wild animals were listed under Schedule-3, officials of the Forest department issued a show-cause notice to farmhouse owners to clarify on rearing wild animals without permission from the Forest Department.  

“Acting on a tip-off, we conducted a raid on the farmhouse which is situated in the mango orchards near Allumiapalem of Ramachandrapuram village in Kotavuratla mandal which is very close to the reserve forest boundary. There, we found a total of nine wild animals including five elks, three wild sheep and one spotted deer. We continued searches in the farmhouse up to Sunday morning. We sent the wild animals into the deep reserve forest to provide them with a natural habitation as the deer family animals are very sensitive and timid. Even if they sense any fearful situation, there may be a chance for severe/acute myocardial infarction which leads to sudden death.

That’s why we did not shift them to the Vizag Zoo. After receiving a reply to our show-cause notice from the farmhouse owners, and based on our investigation, we will take further course of action on the issue,” the DFO told TNIE. 

RV Nagar Range officer Taviti Naidu, Lothugedda range officer G Anilkumar and Narsipatnam range officer BV Ramana and others participated in the raid. As per information, the farmhouse reportedly belongs to a TDP leader of Nakkapalli mandal who is considered to be the right hand of a sitting MLA of the ruling party. The farmhouse was established five years back and it is famous for scenic beauty and excellent natural ecosystem. Several film artists and political leaders visit the farmhouse and stay there.