The discovery of a golden jackal carcass near a school in Kharghar has intensified concerns among environmentalists about wildlife protection in Navi Mumbai. This marks the second golden jackal death in the area this year, raising alarms about the safety of local wildlife. Residents suspect Sunday’s incident was a hit-and-run with the animal found near a road divider.
Kharghar-based activist Seema Tank explained the sequence of events sharing, “A friend who had gone for his evening walk happened to see the remains. At first, he thought it was a dog. But on realizing it was a jackal, he contacted me. The forest department was notified, and the body was taken for post-mortem by midnight.”
The golden jackal, a species protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is commonly found across India, including the Western Ghats. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. In March, a similar case occurred when another golden jackal carcass was found in Kharghar and locals attributed both incidents to road accidents due to increasing human encroachment into wildlife habitats.
Activist BN Kumar noted that jackals typically roam in packs but are increasingly straying into urban areas due to encroachments, illegal fishponds and lost food sources in mangrove habitats. “Golden jackals tend to come out onto the roads as they miss their source of food as illegal fishponds have taken over the wetlands of Kharghar. Authorities need to realise that if jackals come in contact with dogs, it can increase the chance of rabies, which can be fatal for humans,” he cautioned.
Tank and Kumar highlighted the need for better monitoring systems including CCTV cameras as the absence of surveillance makes police complaints challenging. Additionally, CIDCO’s delay in transferring mangrove lands to the forest department has further complicated conservation efforts.
Round forest officer AB Ghuge shared that the post-mortem report will take 48 hours indicating head injuries as the possible cause of death. “Preliminary evidence suggests the animal had strayed while searching for food, suffering head injuries likely from a hit and run,” Ghuge explained.
The repeated deaths of golden jackals in Navi Mumbai emphasize the urgent need for better wildlife protections and stricter monitoring of encroachments to ensure the survival of local wildlife.
