Seshachalam | Tusks Smuggled, Elephant Deaths Suspected, Red Sandalwood Mafia Now Turning to Wildlife

Tirupati: The famed Seshachalam forests, long plagued by the rampant smuggling of red sandalwood, are now emerging as a hotbed for illegal wildlife trafficking. In a disturbing development, officials suspect that elephant tusks smuggled to Hyderabad may have originated from these forests, raising serious concerns about the safety of elephants in the region.

The Hyderabad police recently registered a case and seized two elephant tusks, triggering alarm bells among forest officials in Tirupati. Investigations suggest that the tusks were illegally extracted from Seshachalam, possibly after killing elephants, a tragic indication that smugglers who once targeted only timber are now preying on wildlife.

Red sandalwood mafia turning ruthless

For years, the forest department has focused all its energy on combating the red sandalwood smuggling network, deploying drones, motion-detecting cameras, night vision surveillance, wireless monitoring, and anti-smuggling squads. But this laser focus on timber seems to have left wildlife vulnerable, especially elephants, whose population in Seshachalam is already limited to just over 40.

"Despite all the surveillance, tusks are being smuggled across forest borders undetected," an official admitted, adding that neither the flying squads, task forces, forest beat staff, nor the border patrols had caught wind of the tusk trade before the Hyderabad case came to light.

A case that shook the department

In the recent Hyderabad seizure, it is suspected that an elephant was killed for its tusks. Forest officials have not yet been able to determine how many elephants have been poached, nor the extent of tusk smuggling from the region.

Elephant population under threat

Estimated number of elephants in the combined district: Over 100

In Seshachalam forests alone: Approximately 40

With this new dimension to forest crime, there's growing concern that smugglers are expanding their illegal activities from flora to fauna, endangering already fragile wildlife ecosystems.

"We've learned about the smuggling of tusks from Seshachalam and the case filed in Hyderabad. We will soon form an inquiry committee and gather all details," said C. Selvam, Conservator of Forests, Tirupati Circle.

The Seshachalam forests, a UNESCO-recognised biosphere, are not just losing their trees, but now possibly their elephant population too, due to unchecked smuggling networks. With enforcement measures seemingly bypassed, urgent and dedicated wildlife protection protocols are now needed, not just for red sandalwood, but for the very survival of the forest's majestic residents.