Hyderabad: The elite of Hyderabad travel to Africa every year, lured by wildlife ‘trophy hunting’. Last year the Telangana forest department received about 15 applications for trophies and this year seven have been received till now. The number of people going to Africa for trophy hunting is said to be much higher, and they include members of erstwhile royal families, businessmen and corporate heads.
However, it might become difficult to bring back trophies or post pictures on social media. Mr P. K. Sharma, chief wild-life warden of Telangana, said that in the next meeting of the National Board of Wildlife, the issue will be taken up and the Wildlife Protection Act might be amended to prohibit it.
At present there is an advisory by the Wildlife Crime Control Board against posting pictures with wildlife trophies on social media.
Nawab Shafath Ali Khan, the only culling officer in India who claims to have culled 3,000 nilgai and 14,500 wild boar, says, “Hunting is different from poaching. The killing is selective wherein only male species are killed. Many countries have legalised it and India can do it for controlling numbers of animals that are destroying farmers’ fields.”
