FOREST Department is neither capturing T1-C1 sub-adult tiger in Ralegaon jungle nor releasing T1-C2 sub-adult tigress in Pench even after passing of over six months,therebyjeopardizingfate of both off-springs of menacing T1tigress. Boththecubswerearoundone yearoldwhentheirmothertigress was shot dead on the night of November 2, 2018 by Asghar Ali Khan,sonofsharpshooterNawab ShafathAliKhan,followingshootat-site order issued by the then Principal Chief Conservator of Forest(Wildlife)andendorsed by the Supreme Court. The order was issued as the problemtigresshadkilledasmany as 13 persons in and around 22 villages in Ralegaon and PandharkawdatehsilsofYavatmal district,creatingterroramongthe villagers. Afterthedeathofmother tigress both cubs became orphan. Later,authoritiesofthedepartment hadtakena decisiontocapture both the orphan cubs, havingtastedhumanbloodwiththeir mother.

 

T1-C1 tiger in Ralegaon jungle. (Right) T1-C2 tigress snapped in Ralegaon before shifting her to Pench. 

 

The department launchedasearchoperationsoon after death of T1 tigress and succeededincapturingT1-C2female on December 22. The search for male is still continuing after six months but in vain. Forest officials thenshifted the capturedfemaletoanopenenclosure at Teerthalmangi in the core area of Pench Tiger Reserve.

 

She isbeingfedbyofferingdeer, sambarandotheranimals in thepark. However, despite passing of over six months, the authorities concerned have not prepared any concrete action plan to release her in the wilderness. A meetingofthe seniorofficers was held here on Wednesday in which they decided to continue the operation to capture T1- C1male in view of directives by National Tiger Conservation Authority not to withdraw the operationbeforegivingproofthat the sub-adult is able tosustainby killing some big-sized animal. It also feels that another tiger can attack this sub-adult. At present, officialsprovidingbaitslikeponies andgoatsintheenclosureincompartmentno:652andthetigerkills them to satisfy hunger. In jungle, the beast hunts deer orrabbits to pull on life. According to reliable sources, thedepartmenthadalreadyspent over Rs six crore in capturing T1tigress last year. It has spent anotherRsonecroreinthesearch operationsforthesetwosub-adult tigers and deployed manpower. Sources said, the it is difficult to capture this sub-adult tiger during rainy season due to undulating areas, thickets and thick forest, though three teams are engaged for the purpose. The department has also not made any plan for releasing the Pench tigress in the wilderness. It has also not askedateam of Wildlife Institute of India to visit Pench to observe behaviour of the beast and give fitness certificate forherrelease injungle.This means the tigress has to pull on life in captivity for som