Illegal Hunting, Sale Of Protected Wildlife Rampant In Nalgonda

Forest department officials appear indifferent to the issue, even as hunters openly sell protected species in town areas.

While the trade of wild common quail is prohibited, Japanese quail farming is legal. However, some poultry and meat shop owners have been concealing wild quails among Japanese quails in cages to avoid detection. Hunters are also directly selling live wild common quails in towns such as Nalgonda and Nakrekal, often roaming through main markets without interference from police or forest officials. A pair of wild quails is reportedly sold for ₹500, compared to ₹150 for a pair of Japanese quails.

Similarly, monitor lizards, also protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, are being sold by poachers in various towns. Their activity typically spikes during the monsoon season, when the reptiles emerge from their burrows due to waterlogging. In one instance, a woman in Nakrekal was seen carrying a live monitor lizard with its neck tied to its own tail, moving through residential areas to sell it. Prices for live monitor lizards reportedly range from ₹600 to ₹1,200, depending on size and weight.

An elderly resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, said locals believe that consuming the meat of wild quail and monitor lizard offers health benefits and can cure ailments such as asthma, hemorrhoids, rheumatism, and arthritis. Because of these beliefs, many continue to buy the meat despite its illegality and high cost.