HUBBALLI: The foresters at Kali Tiger Reserve near Dandeli in Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka were up for a surprise when they sighted and recorded presence of a striped hyena (locally called katte kiruba).
Hyenas are rare mammals that are found in drier forest areas of North Karnataka and there are no records of regular sighting of these animals from the Western Ghats. Last week, a team of forest officials from Kali Reserve spotted the hyena in the safari zone of the tiger Reserve. Senior officials were notified about the rare sighting and a team is watching the movements of the animal.
“One individual hyena has been sighted inside the safari zone. There are no recent records of hyena movement inside Kali reserve and adjoining forests of Joida and Haliyal. Its a rare sighting and we are keeping an eye on it,” said Director of Kali Tiger Reserve Nilesh Shinde.
The official pointed out that the Canara gazetteer has a mention of hyena animal but no recent records. The Forest Department has no released any photos or videos of the individual.
“The particular animal is being monitored by camera traps and direct sightings by the forest officials. The animal could have strayed from the forests of Dharwad district which have hyenas,” the official added.
Few years ago, a tiger from neighbouring Maharashtra had travelled more than 150 km to reach Kali Tiger Reserve, and its photographs traced its origin. Experts feel that the habitat of Kali reserve which ranges from semi evergreen to evergreen patches is not suitable for hyenas.
Hyenas are regularly sighted in Dharwad, Chitradurga, Gadag, Ballari, and Koppal districts. “The presence of hyena inside Kali reserve is an interesting development. Are there more than one hyena or its a strayed from some place else needs to be checked. Hyenas are scavengers and highly nocturnal in nature. They move closely around the hunts by the big predators and feed on the kills,” explained a wildlife expert.