Male pugmarks found in no-tiger zones in state
DALTONGANJ: The Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) will study and analyze the pugmarks of two male tigers spotted near areas which are not frequented by these wild cats.
Pugmarks were recently found in Mandal and Kumandi, 25 km from the reserve park. However, forest officials say in the past one-and-a-half decades, they have never seen tigers in the reserve forest prowling outside the 15-20 km radius of the core area.
Though the beasts take long walks, their coming from PTR to Mandal and Kumandi looks a distant proposition. So analysis of these pugmarks, found in no-tiger areas, is necessary to avoid duplicity.
The marks will be matched with those of the existing tigers in the park to check if there are new arrivals in the Palamu Tiger Reserve. Both Mandal and Kumandi are around 25 km from the core area of the park.
"It is strange that pugmarks are discovered (in these places) but there is no report of any prey left there by the tigers," said a source.
A member of the Government of India's steering committee for project elephant, D S Srivastava, said he had been telling all these years that Mandal and Kumandi areas are not bereft of tigers and the need is to trace them. Now with these pugmarks, his claims seem to hold water. Srivastava wanted scouring of every inch of the PTR.
In Mandal, forest officials spotted the pugmarks on sand along River Koyal whereas marks were found on soil in Kumandi.
Premjit Anand, core conservator at PTR, said no trace of any killing has been found at these two places. No farmer has complained of any missing cattle or livestock.
"The pugmarks are definitely of male tigers as it has distinct features of male paws, " he said. adding that it has to be verified in some tiger strayed.
Sources said a large part of the reserve forest remains unpatrolled by trackers, guards, foresters and rangers. Senior officials too hardly visit the remote areas.
Pugmarks were recently found in Mandal and Kumandi, 25 km from the reserve park. However, forest officials say in the past one-and-a-half decades, they have never seen tigers in the reserve forest prowling outside the 15-20 km radius of the core area.
Though the beasts take long walks, their coming from PTR to Mandal and Kumandi looks a distant proposition. So analysis of these pugmarks, found in no-tiger areas, is necessary to avoid duplicity.
The marks will be matched with those of the existing tigers in the park to check if there are new arrivals in the Palamu Tiger Reserve. Both Mandal and Kumandi are around 25 km from the core area of the park.
"It is strange that pugmarks are discovered (in these places) but there is no report of any prey left there by the tigers," said a source.
A member of the Government of India's steering committee for project elephant, D S Srivastava, said he had been telling all these years that Mandal and Kumandi areas are not bereft of tigers and the need is to trace them. Now with these pugmarks, his claims seem to hold water. Srivastava wanted scouring of every inch of the PTR.
In Mandal, forest officials spotted the pugmarks on sand along River Koyal whereas marks were found on soil in Kumandi.
Premjit Anand, core conservator at PTR, said no trace of any killing has been found at these two places. No farmer has complained of any missing cattle or livestock.
"The pugmarks are definitely of male tigers as it has distinct features of male paws, " he said. adding that it has to be verified in some tiger strayed.
Sources said a large part of the reserve forest remains unpatrolled by trackers, guards, foresters and rangers. Senior officials too hardly visit the remote areas.
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