A striped hyena, an endangered species, was killed after being knocked down by an unidentified vehicle near Yargatti in Savadatti taluk along the Belagavi-Bagalkot state highway on Wednesday.
The endangered species was knocked down while crossing the road near Yargatti. Efforts are being made to identify the vehicle and its owner.
Range Forest Officer Sunita Nimbargi told DH that the hyena had been spotted earlier but the striped hyena making the range its home has been confirmed after the fatal accident. The hyena was cremated in accordance with the guidelines for endangered species.
The Forest Department has commenced investigations into the vehicle involved in the accident. Vehicles that have crossed the road section will be verified, she said.
Nimbargi said that with rare and endangered species being sighted, camera traps will be installed to know how many such endangered species and other wild animals are moving abount the forests.