At least three blackbuck ( Antilope cervicapra ) were reportedly killed by stray dogs last week in Pitchuka Lanka, one of the two islands near the Dowleswaram Barrage in East Godavari district where the blackbuck thrive.
A group of wildlife activists based in East Godavari and Krishna districts have documented the deaths by taking their photographs on Sunday.
A senior forest official (wildlife), on condition of anonymity, on Monday confirmed to The Hindu that the blackbuck were attacked by stray dogs. “We have started investigation into the deaths. The local forest staff is engaged in documenting them. Nearly 150 blackbuck are surviving in and around the Pitchuka Lanka Island,” he said.
The official said the blackbuck would throng the island from surrounding areas for water in summer. The three were found dead in different locations. One of them was carrying a baby in its womb and had injuries on her entire body.
The blackbuck is listed as ‘Nearly Threatened’ on the conservation list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and falls in the Schedule I under the Wildlife (protection) Act 1972.
The blackbuck is thriving in the islands of East Godavari because of grassy plains and availability of perennial water, for which it travels a long distance. It is also known as the Indian Antelope
