Mysuru: For the residents of Mysuru, the squirrel is arguably the most mundane mammal. But their population is gradually declining thanks to the extensive poaching and laying of snares. These poaching incidents have been reported from the heart of the city in areas that are dominated by shady trees and canopies.

The area around the Deputy Commissioner’s Office is surrounded by vast swathes of green areas with parks and umpteen number of shady trees. This place, while being an ideal place for squirrel and bird habitat, is also a favourite hunting ground for poachers who hunt these animals for meat and the fluffy tail to sell them as an ornamental piece and trophies.

The snares made with plastic ropes are tied to the trees and poachers play the recorded squirrel calls on their mobile phones to draw the animals towards the snares. This was, however, noticed by a few media persons last Saturday who in turn alerted the Forest Department officers. But sensing trouble, poachers, who had carried bags with them, ran away.

The forest staff found many snares laid on the trees and on the fencing boundaries. Cases will be booked under the Wildlife Protection Act, they said. Field staff would be deployed to inspect the area for traps and there will be regular monitoring in that area, officers added.

“We got photographs of the poaching and also snares and will take stringent action under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972,” officers said. They requested people and nature enthusiasts to inform the Department if they noticed such offences and added that action would be taken immediately.

People who frequent the area and who normally take rest under the trees said that earlier, hundreds of squirrels roamed the vicinity and used to feed on berries and other food abundantly available on the trees and also on the ground. But their population has gradually declined. Even the bird calls are rarely heard these days.

Apart from using snares, poachers use cater bill (slingshot) to hunt birds and squirrels for their meat and tail. “If a secure place like the DC’s Office becomes a hunting ground for poachers, then what can be said of other protected areas? The Forest Department staff must put up surveillance, at least a couple of times in the day, to deter these poachers,” opined an environment activist.