CHANDRAPUR: Forest officers have concluded that Bawariya type jaw traps were used to poachthe tigers in Palasgaon range in the buffer zone ofTadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) on Thursday.
A sub-adult tiger was killed, while a full grown tiger was seriously injured after being caught in the traps on Thursday afternoon. The injured tiger was rescued in the wee hours of Friday and shifted to Nagpur for emergency treatment.
Poachers had laid three traps, two on separate tracks approaching the water hole and one on the bank of the waterhole itself. They had laid out thorny bushes besides the tracks to ensure the tigers walked along the clean track where they had laid the traps.
Similarly, the bank of the waterhole was also matted with bamboo in such a fashion that the tiger could approach the water only from the place where the trap was laid.
"Tigers have the habit of walking on clean path in the jungle. Poachers had put thorny bushes all around to guide the tigers down the path where traps were installed. Of the three tigers that approached the waterhole on Wednesday, two were trapped while the third escaped fortunately," said forest officers.
The tiger that died was caught in the trap at the edge of the water hole, while the one that was rescued was trapped some 30 feet away. Forest guard MB Zade's leg was trapped in the third jaw trap, but fortunately his shoe preventing any serious injury.
Anti-poaching experts who visited the spot on Thursday night claimed that though the traps were of Bawariya type, it is likely they were installed by Baheliya poachers. "Bawariya poachers hail from Haryana, while Baheliyas belongs to Katni area of Madhya Pradesh. In the latest trend, Bawariya gangs often supply the traps for poaching to Baheliyas. Hence, though the traps were of Bawariya type, involvement of Baheliyas cannot be ruled out," said Nitin Desai, Central India director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), who visited the scene on Thursday night.
Veterinary doctor PD Kadukar and Dr Turankar aided the tranquilization and rescue of the trapped tiger in the wee hours of Friday. The tiger was rushed in a treatment cage to Tadoba inside TATR and examined by vets.
"The rescued tiger is full grown and aged around eight years. A few toes of its left forelimb were trapped in the jaw trap and are dislocated. It is having difficulty in standing. The tiger will be sent to Nagpur for further treatment," said Dr Kadukar.
He also informed that the dead tiger was aged around 2-3 years and is likely to have died on Thursday morning. "It died of internal bleeding and dehydration. It must have struggled hard to free itself from the trap and sustained internal injuries. We have discovered haemorrhage in the chest," he said.
Foresters claimed that the third tiger, which escaped the traps, was lurking in the same area till late in the night and its growls could be heard by forest rescue workers.This particular area is inhabited by a tigress with two sub-adult cubs aged around two years. Initially, it was assumed the tiger that died was a cub and the one still alive was its mother.
However, forest officers were surprised when the tiger that was alive turned out to be a full grown male. Officers say this full grown male appears to be a floating tiger that had moved into the area in search of a mate. The tigress and its second sub-adult cub are safe and free in the same jungle, forest officers claimed.
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) member secretary Rajesh Gopal is flying down from Delhi on Saturday for a spot visit.
Officers have already asked all forest ranges to check water holes and surrounding areas for similar traps.
A high alert has been issued in entire district and forest, and the police department has also launched a manhunt for poacher gangs.
Cops laid pickets on key roads across the district during the night to check movement of poachers. Even railway stations were checked for presence of poachers in the night, sources said.
A sub-adult tiger was killed, while a full grown tiger was seriously injured after being caught in the traps on Thursday afternoon. The injured tiger was rescued in the wee hours of Friday and shifted to Nagpur for emergency treatment.
Poachers had laid three traps, two on separate tracks approaching the water hole and one on the bank of the waterhole itself. They had laid out thorny bushes besides the tracks to ensure the tigers walked along the clean track where they had laid the traps.
Similarly, the bank of the waterhole was also matted with bamboo in such a fashion that the tiger could approach the water only from the place where the trap was laid.
"Tigers have the habit of walking on clean path in the jungle. Poachers had put thorny bushes all around to guide the tigers down the path where traps were installed. Of the three tigers that approached the waterhole on Wednesday, two were trapped while the third escaped fortunately," said forest officers.
The tiger that died was caught in the trap at the edge of the water hole, while the one that was rescued was trapped some 30 feet away. Forest guard MB Zade's leg was trapped in the third jaw trap, but fortunately his shoe preventing any serious injury.
Anti-poaching experts who visited the spot on Thursday night claimed that though the traps were of Bawariya type, it is likely they were installed by Baheliya poachers. "Bawariya poachers hail from Haryana, while Baheliyas belongs to Katni area of Madhya Pradesh. In the latest trend, Bawariya gangs often supply the traps for poaching to Baheliyas. Hence, though the traps were of Bawariya type, involvement of Baheliyas cannot be ruled out," said Nitin Desai, Central India director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), who visited the scene on Thursday night.
Veterinary doctor PD Kadukar and Dr Turankar aided the tranquilization and rescue of the trapped tiger in the wee hours of Friday. The tiger was rushed in a treatment cage to Tadoba inside TATR and examined by vets.
"The rescued tiger is full grown and aged around eight years. A few toes of its left forelimb were trapped in the jaw trap and are dislocated. It is having difficulty in standing. The tiger will be sent to Nagpur for further treatment," said Dr Kadukar.
He also informed that the dead tiger was aged around 2-3 years and is likely to have died on Thursday morning. "It died of internal bleeding and dehydration. It must have struggled hard to free itself from the trap and sustained internal injuries. We have discovered haemorrhage in the chest," he said.
Foresters claimed that the third tiger, which escaped the traps, was lurking in the same area till late in the night and its growls could be heard by forest rescue workers.This particular area is inhabited by a tigress with two sub-adult cubs aged around two years. Initially, it was assumed the tiger that died was a cub and the one still alive was its mother.
However, forest officers were surprised when the tiger that was alive turned out to be a full grown male. Officers say this full grown male appears to be a floating tiger that had moved into the area in search of a mate. The tigress and its second sub-adult cub are safe and free in the same jungle, forest officers claimed.
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) member secretary Rajesh Gopal is flying down from Delhi on Saturday for a spot visit.
Officers have already asked all forest ranges to check water holes and surrounding areas for similar traps.
A high alert has been issued in entire district and forest, and the police department has also launched a manhunt for poacher gangs.
Cops laid pickets on key roads across the district during the night to check movement of poachers. Even railway stations were checked for presence of poachers in the night, sources said.
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