GUARDING THE WILD Aishwarya Sharma

The sprawling University of Hyderabad campus is home to a wide variety of exotic plants and animals. Spread over 1600 acres and located in Gachibowli, this campus is rightly regarded as the lung space of Hyderabad. Scores of peacocks, wild boar, hare, Indian grey mongoose, monitor lizards, and cobras are amongst the fauna that are commonly found here. The security personnel at the University make the peaceful human-animal co-existence a reality "Darr toh lagta hai, par duty toh karna padta haina." said Chandan Ratravath, a security officer of University of Hyderabad. As he explained his encounters to us there appeared a bright sheen in his eyes that spoke a thousand words He gave bits of how he tackled snakes and pythons. After receiving mere three-four days of training from the Indian Security Force at Kondapur, Chandran and his colleagues decided to protect human existence in the University from wild animals and reptiles with heroic vigour

The University however has made all efforts to provide the security with necessary equipment and safety shoes to tackle wild dogs and snakes. However, no training has been given by the Central Government as such to take special care of endangered or vulnerable species on campus who need special attention.

Narrating an interesting anecdote, Chandran exclaimed that once there was a huge python found in the ladies’ hostel area, and how they caught the reptile and later allowed it to escape in the majestic wilds of the University of Hyderabad campus.