Yavatmal: Cub sighted, effort focused in the area

“On Saturday, a trap camera had got an image, which has now been confirmed to be that of the male who is also moving in the area and has fathered the two cubs. (Representational Image)

A TRACKING team of the Forest Department got a glimpse of one of the two cubs of the man-eater tigress of Yavatmal on Sunday morning, giving rise to the possibility of the elusive tigress also being around the place. “one of our staffers saw a cub during a tracking operation, which means that the tigress could also be present somewhere in the one kilometre radius. So the effort is now focused on that area,” said Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) A K Mishra.

Sources said, “the cub was sighted in compartment 656, where pug-marks and fresh scat were also found.” On Saturday, a trap camera had got an image, which has now been confirmed to be that of the male who is also moving in the area and has fathered the two cubs. “We have also changed the strategy by reducing foot patrolling to allow her to breathe a little more freely and come out of the hiding again,” sources said. As part of the new strategy, small domesticated pigs have now been kept in camouflaged cages to attract the cubs, which can kill them on their own.

Meanwhile, two incidents of big cat attacks were reported from three different areas of Vidarbha on Sunday. A press note issued by Field Director of Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) Ravikiran Govekar said, “Shyamrao Nathuji Gurnule, 65, a resident of Karhandala village, adjoining to the Umred Pawani Karhandala (UPK) Sanctuary, was seriously injured in a tiger attack near Karhanadala gate of UPK Sanctuary, on Sunday afternoon. Forest staff immediately took him to Umred PHC for treatment. He is now being shifted to Nagpur for further treatment.”

It further said, “Kisan Santosh Dhurve, 55, a resident of village Bothiya Palora in Ramtek tahsil of Nagpur district, was injured in the attack of a wild animal, probably a tiger, in the buffer range of PTR, on Sunday afternoon. He has been taken to the Deolapar PHC and is undergoing treatment.”