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Rare Striped Hyena Seen in Adilabad’s Mavala Urban Park

Adilabad: A rare adult striped hyena was detected for the first time in Mavala Urban Park, Adilabad town, signalling a positive development in the district’s wildlife diversity. Forest officials and conservationists welcomed the sighting.

Striped hyenas, classified as ‘Near Threatened’ on the IUCN Red List and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, have seen declining populations due to habitat loss and human-animal conflicts. Their presence in Adilabad suggests enhanced habitat conditions and effective conservation measures.

Forest range officer Gulab Singh, supervising Mavala Urban Park, announced that the hyena was recorded by a solar camera trap on January 28. He noted that striped hyenas typically inhabit arid and semi-arid regions of North India and parts of the Deccan Plateau. In Adilabad, these hyenas are following migrating tigers from Maharashtra’s Tipeshwar and Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserves, feeding on carcasses left by tigers and leopards.

“The appearance of the striped hyena is a promising sign of increasing biodiversity in Adilabad,” Singh said. He added that the hyenas are currently feeding on wild boars and leopard carcasses preventing disease spread and recycling nutrients within the ecosystem.

Nilanjan Basu, research associate at Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society (Hyticos), threw light on the importance of protected green spaces. “This sighting highlights the critical role that urban parks like Mavala play in supporting wildlife populations, even in human-dominated areas.”

Prashanth Bajirao Patil, divisional forest officer of Adilabad forest division, remarked, “Recording the striped hyena in Mavala Urban Park underscores our dedicated efforts to protect and enhance wildlife habitats in the region.”

The striped hyena had previously been sighted near water bodies in the park over the past three months and was last recorded in Kawal Tiger Reserve in 2015. The transformation of the forest area along NH-44 from Mavala to Seethagondi into ‘Haritha Vanam’ Natural Park in 2019, with an investment of Rs 3 crore for 1,000 acres, has created a thriving environment for wildlife. The park now offers lush greenery during winter and rainy seasons, attracting both animals and visitors.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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