CONTINUING the inter-state tiger translocation effort between Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh and Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, joint field teams resumed the operation on Sunday morning. Following standard protocol, teams first checked all cameratrap stations for signs of movement.

 

Early in the day, one of the cameras captured a fresh image of the target tigress, giving the teams a clear direction for the search. With this confirmation, elephant patrols and ground teams moved into the area to begin a co-ordinated tracking operation. At around 7 am, the tigress was spotted resting under a lantana thicket. A tranquilisation team rushed to the spot, but her position near a water body made it too risky to dart her, as a sedated animal could easily slip into the water.

 

Officials waited for her to shift to a safer location, but sensing activity around her, the tigress slipped away into denser cover. Elephant patrol teams continued tracking her until noon, but she could not be spotted again in the morning session. Around 1 pm, the AIenabled camera trap network sent another movement alert, prompting teams to restart the search in the afternoon. Despite intensive efforts and careful scanning of terrain suitable for darting, the tigress remained out of sight.

 

With sunset approaching, the operation was called off for the day. Field teams will resume the search on December 1, with officials emphasising that strict safety protocols and preparedness remain the top priority to ensure the tigress is captured and relocated safely.