Target: Eshwar B. Khandre, Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment, Karnataka, India
Goal: Release the Karkala inquiry report in full, suspend permits where violations are reportedly found, and enforce immediate habitat protections across Agumbe’s sensitive rainforest.
Forest officials have completed a probe into allegations tied to wildlife-related research centers in Agumbe. Complaints describe forest-land encroachment, unauthorized buildings, commercial tourism masked as research, and animal-cruelty concerns including the reported capture of king cobras and handling of eggs. Night activity inside protected forest was also alleged, with claims that noise and lights disturb biodiversity. The investigation team has submitted a report on at least one center, with a second case under a neighboring division, and findings await public release.
Agumbe sits inside the Western Ghats, a globally significant biodiversity hotspot. When operations billed as conservation morph into fee-based tourism or unpermitted construction, trust erodes and wildlife pays the price. If eggs are handled or snakes repeatedly captured under the banner of rescue, harm can follow even when publicity says otherwise. Land grabs and commercial shoots fuel pressure on habitat already strained by weather extremes and fragmentation.
Transparency and firm enforcement can reset the course. Sign below to demand the report be published with remedial steps to show that Karnataka protects rainforests and science alike. Where violations are confirmed, the state should suspend activities, demolish illegal works, and levy penalties. Clear rules for research—time-limited access, vetted protocols, no-night operations in core zones, and independent audits—will keep genuine conservation intact while deterring exploitation.
PETITION LETTER:
Minister Khandre,
Officials under the Kudremukh wildlife division have completed an inquiry into complaints involving research-linked activities in Agumbe. Allegations include forest-land encroachment, unauthorized construction, commercial tourism presented as research, and animal-cruelty concerns related to suspected handling of king cobras and eggs. Given Agumbe’s ecological importance, these claims merit a prompt, transparent response.
We respectfully urge your office to publish the Karkala report in full and to act on its findings. Where violations are confirmed, please suspend relevant permissions, initiate prosecutions as warranted, remove illegal structures, and recover restoration costs. We also ask you to standardize research permissions with strict, time-bound protocols, prohibit night operations in sensitive areas, require independent ethics and welfare reviews for any animal handling, and mandate third-party audits with public summaries.
Finally, please establish a permanent, local oversight committee including Forest Department scientists, independent herpetologists, and community representatives to review permits, monitor compliance, and flag misuse swiftly. Visible, even-handed action will protect the rainforest, uphold lawful research, and ensure Agumbe’s wildlife is not exploited under any label.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Gopal Venkatesan
