Navi Mumbai: In a tragic incident that has sparked outrage among environmentalists, a golden jackal was crushed to death by a speeding vehicle around midnight on Sunday near DPS Flamingo Lake, Nerul. The accident occurred on the service road parallel to Palm Beach Road, an area known for its rich biodiversity.
According to a volunteer from the Wildlife Welfare Association (WWA), the jackal was hit on its back by an unidentified four-wheeler, leaving it badly mangled. The volunteer rushed to the spot after receiving a distress call around 12 a.m., but the animal could not be saved.
The incident has raised serious concerns among conservationists, who are now calling for immediate and strict measures to prevent such tragedies.
B N Kumar, Director of NatConnect Foundation, demanded a complete halt to all real estate development in the region, warning that continued urban expansion is a direct threat to mangrove and wetland ecosystems.
"DPS Flamingo Lake and the surrounding mangroves have recently been declared a conservation reserve. The peripheral area must be left undisturbed for wildlife to thrive," Kumar emphasized. He added that the area supports a wide range of native and migratory birds, reptiles, and mammals including jackals.
Sandeep Sareen of the Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society (NMEPS) pointed to the speeding menace on the service road as a major hazard. "Motorists often take this stretch to skip traffic signals, and reckless driving has become rampant," he said. Sareen urged authorities to impose immediate speed restrictions and ensure stricter traffic monitoring on the service road.
Highlighting the broader issue, environmentalist Jyoti Nadkarni noted that hit-and-run cases involving golden jackals have occurred in other parts of Navi Mumbai, including Kharghar. She, along with other activists, has called for the creation of dedicated wildlife corridors to protect and contain jackals within safe zones.
Activist Sunil Agarwal also criticized the non-stop construction activity in the area, along with CIDCO’s plans to lease out more plots, stating that such actions endanger the fragile biodiversity of Navi Mumbai’s wetland ecosystems.
As the city continues to expand, environmentalists are urging authorities to prioritize wildlife protection and sustainable development, warning that the death of the jackal is a grim reminder of the cost of unchecked urbanization.
