According to the Gujarat State Forest Census-2001, there are about 897 hyenas left in the entire state and annually 10 deaths are reported in the Baria forest division alone. Forest officials say most deaths occur due to accidents while crossing roads in the forest areas. Last year, forest authorities tried to map the movement of the animals in the state, but failed to trace the exact pattern in some locations. They have now decided to map the movement patterns this year again.

K N Bhabor, Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF), Wildlife, Baria forest division said, “In the recent incidents, one hyena died of an accident at a road in the Garbada forest region, while another died due to prolonged illness at Randhikpur and a third succumbed to an internal fight in the Baria region.” He said the viscera of the animals have now been sent to Baria’s local veterinary clinic for post-mortem.

During last census, around 75 hyenas were found living in the Ratanmahals sanctuary and Dahod district.

Conservator of Forest, (CF) Vadodara Circle, Wildlife, Jagdish Prasad said, “In Vadodara forest circle, most hyenas are spotted in Chhota Udepur and Baria forests. Around 10 hyena die annually and most of the incidents are reported due to vehicular accidents.”

Hyenas have a ‘fixed trail’, which it treads while travelling from one place to another in the forest, and this could be found out only by repetitive surveying of that forest region, he added.

Prasad said forest authorities have decided to make culverts, drains under the road to prevent hyenas from falling victim to vehicular traffic, but said this would be only possible by properly surveying the forest areas.