Kolkata/Jhargram: With Makar Sankranti on Tuesday and the Akhan Jatra — another traditional festival — the next day, the forest department has heightened surveillance in the Jangalmahal, where a tiger is now roaming, to prevent any man-animal conflict,
As fresh scats were found in an area in Jhargramlocated close to Purulia border, on Monday morning, more cameras were positioned along the Jhargram-Purulia border. Ninety pairs of traps and smart cameras, more than 150 forest personnel and a 5-member team from the Sundarbans are being utilized in the operation.
On Makar Sankranti, locals usually venture inside the forest to offer pujas. While there are approximately 45 dates when hunters in these zones participate in their ‘traditional’ festivals, the increasing craving for hunting, particularly amongst the youth in the community, compels them to engage in more such hunting activities even though they are not ‘traditional’ .
Even a wandering tiger was poached in Lalgarh during the Pakhibandh hunting festival in April 2018.
Chief conservator of forest S Kulandaivel refrained from revealing the location of the scats found on Monday but said it’s along Purulia-Jhargram border. “With Makar Sankranti tomorrow, we don’t want to risk the safety of the big cat and people. We are coordinating with police to mobilize force. Over 150 staff from the dept have already joined the operation. We are intensifying surveillance by adding 15 “More pairs of traps and smart cameras to the 75 pairs placed on Sunday. A Sundarbans team with special nets and tranquillising guns has arrived in Jhargram,” he added.
Head of forest force Debal Roy said: “We have surrounded its possible location — which is inside a forest patch — on three sides by nets and kept one side towards Jharkhand open to allow it to return to its origin. But if it approaches human habitation , we will tranquillise it.”
Jhargram SP Arijit Sinha said: “Whatever assistance the forest department has requested is being provided. Announcements are being made in the area discouraging people from entering the forest.” Binpur block 2 panchayat president Bikash Singh Sardar said Baghdoba primary school remained shut on Monday for the safety of students and teachers as the school doesn’t have a boundary wall.
Former scientist with Wildlife Institute of India, Qamar Qureshi, said it’s possible this big cat is following the same route the Odisha tigress had taken after detecting her scents. “But repeated tiger movement through this corridor indicates that there remain some green patches here that provide sanctuary to big cats as they move in search of territory, food, prey and mates,” he added.
As fresh scats were found in an area in Jhargramlocated close to Purulia border, on Monday morning, more cameras were positioned along the Jhargram-Purulia border. Ninety pairs of traps and smart cameras, more than 150 forest personnel and a 5-member team from the Sundarbans are being utilized in the operation.
On Makar Sankranti, locals usually venture inside the forest to offer pujas. While there are approximately 45 dates when hunters in these zones participate in their ‘traditional’ festivals, the increasing craving for hunting, particularly amongst the youth in the community, compels them to engage in more such hunting activities even though they are not ‘traditional’ .
Even a wandering tiger was poached in Lalgarh during the Pakhibandh hunting festival in April 2018.
Chief conservator of forest S Kulandaivel refrained from revealing the location of the scats found on Monday but said it’s along Purulia-Jhargram border. “With Makar Sankranti tomorrow, we don’t want to risk the safety of the big cat and people. We are coordinating with police to mobilize force. Over 150 staff from the dept have already joined the operation. We are intensifying surveillance by adding 15 “More pairs of traps and smart cameras to the 75 pairs placed on Sunday. A Sundarbans team with special nets and tranquillising guns has arrived in Jhargram,” he added.
Head of forest force Debal Roy said: “We have surrounded its possible location — which is inside a forest patch — on three sides by nets and kept one side towards Jharkhand open to allow it to return to its origin. But if it approaches human habitation , we will tranquillise it.”
Jhargram SP Arijit Sinha said: “Whatever assistance the forest department has requested is being provided. Announcements are being made in the area discouraging people from entering the forest.” Binpur block 2 panchayat president Bikash Singh Sardar said Baghdoba primary school remained shut on Monday for the safety of students and teachers as the school doesn’t have a boundary wall.
Former scientist with Wildlife Institute of India, Qamar Qureshi, said it’s possible this big cat is following the same route the Odisha tigress had taken after detecting her scents. “But repeated tiger movement through this corridor indicates that there remain some green patches here that provide sanctuary to big cats as they move in search of territory, food, prey and mates,” he added.
