CHENNAI: The spotted deer population inside IIT Madras continues to diminish although most of the feral dogs, which were blamed all these years for wildlife kills in the campus, have been captured. Official data obtained through RTI reveals that a total of 94 animals, including 75 deer and three endangered blackbucks, died last year alone.
In October last year, IIT Madras captured and impounded several stray dogs in a shelter now called a dog park, where currently 190 dogs are housed. In the following two months - November and December - 20 animals, including 12 deer and one blackbuck, died. In fact, the death ratio was among the highest in the year. Only July (12) and September (15) months recorded more animal deaths in comparison.
Animal rights and RTI activist Antony Clement Rubin, also the petitioner in a relevant case in the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), told The New Indian Express that the RTI reply from the Chennai Wildlife Warden office also revealed another shocking fact. "No post-mortem was conducted by the forest department on any of the carcasses in the last five years, although hundreds of animals have died. A total of 479 wild animals have died inside IIT Madras campus since 2016, of which a whopping 367 are spotted deer, 20 blackbucks and 79 monkeys."
The forest department has attributed the decision not to conduct a post-mortem to the decomposed state of carcasses. "Post-mortem can be done only for non-decomposed dead spotted deer/blackbuck," it said.
Rubin wondered how the IIT Madras or forest department could blame stray dogs in the campus for wildlife deaths without conducting a post-mortem. "Dogs are scavengers. The bite marks found on the deer and blackbuck carcasses can be scavenger-induced marks. How can anyone establish the actual cause of death without a post-mortem? The root cause of wildlife deaths in IIT Madras is improper disposal of solid waste and construction debris," Rubin alleged.
NGT suggests AWBI member in monitoring committee
On Monday, when the case came up for hearing, the southern bench of the NGT consisting of judicial member Justice K Ramakrishnan and expert member K Satyagopal suggested the inclusion of an official of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) in the Permanent Monitoring Committee.
Inclusion of an AWBI member was proposed by Rubin's advocate Ritwik Dutta who alleged that the committee was presently composed of only forest department and IIT Madras officials who remained mute spectators.
However, senior counsel Chita Sampath representing IIT Madras refuted the allegations saying several proactive measures were initiated by the institute to save the wildlife in the campus. "Improved solid waste management practices are adopted and single use plastics are completely banned."
In an affidavit submitted before the Madras High Court recently, IIT Madras registrar Jane Prasad defended its actions to capture the feral dogs and house them in a shelter. "In 2020, 19 deer and 1 blackbuck were rescued and taken to the forest department for treatment, of which 7 deer were injured due to dog bite. After the start of rescuing free roaming dogs, in the last 2 months, only one deer death has been reported due to dog bite/attack. Therefore, to avoid any further death of deer and blackbuck due to dog bite, the NGT appointed Permanent Committee has suggested retaining the dogs in the dog park with proper care and feeding," IIT Madras said.
IIT Madras raising Green Fund
IIT Madras is raising a 'Green Fund' to protect the unique biodiversity of the campus. According to a tweet by IIT Madras alumni, the fund will be utilised to support the flora and fauna conservation needs of the campus including providing shelter to animals.
"Special programs to support the development of wildlife, as well as tree planting, will be run using the resources in the fund. The fund will also be used to sustain spotted deer, blackbuck as well as free-ranging and feral dogs on campus. In all cases, the activities undertaken using this fund shall follow all Animal Welfare Board guidelines as well as other state and central laws," IIT Madras alumni said.