After 13 days, tigress Avni’s cubs found

In a day of bad news for wildlife lovers, there was some good news as well when a patrolling forest department team finally managed to spot the two cubs of tigress Avni, who was shot dead on November 2. After the incident, there was outrage and concern were flagged about the  survival of two of its cubs.

This is the first time in 13 days that the cubs have been spotted, even as there are five Veternerians at Pandharkaoda along with 200 people who were on the lookout for the two 11-month-old cubs.

Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) Sunil Limaye, who is overlooking the search operation, said that it was a great relief that their team had a direct sighting of both the cubs near a forested patch close to Vihirgaon at 5.30 am. “Both the cubs looked healthy and it’s obvious that they must be hunting some prey and eating them, otherwise they would have not survived so far. We will now be closely monitoring their activity as well as movement ,” he said.

Meanwhile Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) AK Misra informed that baits have been placed at several locations near the area where the cubs were spotted.  “We will first ensure that the cubs are not disturbed nor will we hasten to tranquilise them till we see the right  opportunity,” he said.

Misra further explained that once the cubs are captured as per the protocol a committe will be formed under the National Tiger Conservation Authourity (NTCA) guidelines and the committe of experts will take a decision about the cubs future.

"Principally we are totally against the idea of keeping the cubs in a life long captivity and would want them to live like tigers that too in its own habitat," he said.

Throughout Thursday social media was buzzing with wildlife lovers expressing their happiness over the well being of the cubs and hoping that both these remain in wild.