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DNA EXCLUSIVE | Radio collars could be deterring poachers at Sariska: Forest officials

However, days after ST-11's death, forest officials are now wondering what would have happened had the tiger not been fitted with a radio collar.

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A file photo of the deceased ST-11 with forest officials
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Are the tigers of Sariska Tiger Reserve being saved by a simple radio collar hanging around tigers' necks? Did the radio collar around tiger ST-11's neck stop poachers from ravaging the tiger's body at Sariska? Sources claim that had ST-11 not been collared, the farmer who had set the trap, would not have confessed about the incident and the animal would have been considering as missing, much like what has happened with tigress ST-5.

ST-11 had been radio-collared to help forest officials monitor the big cat's movements. "The radio collar helps forest officials determine not just the location but also the route the tiger takes in various situations and how much it rests. Data is collected, which is later used for conservation-related work," an official said.

However, days after ST-11's death, forest officials are now wondering what would have happened had the tiger not been fitted with a radio collar. "Since it has been established now that the farmer who set the trap has links with poachers, the next conclusion that comes to mind is the fact that the poachers would have easily taken the tiger's pelt, claws and other parts. What stopped that from happening was the knowledge that if the physical presence of a collared healthy tiger is not found or the collar is found without the tiger, it would have become clear that poachers are active in the area," the official said.

Sources reveal that there is a strong possibility that the farmer confessed to setting the trap only because of the radio collar. "He contacted a lawyer in Alwar after seeing a tiger in his trap. That gives rise to the possibility that since they could not do away with the radio collar, a confession was considered to be a safer bet" officials said.

Interestingly, sources also claim that the situation with ST-5 would have been clear had the tigress also been collared. "Hypothetically, had the tigress that was poached had a radio collar, its presence would have indicated to the poacher that the tigress was being tracked. This is enough to deter poachers from acting as then their presence is revealed. And if the collar gets damaged, a process is initiated to find the feline and replace the collar. ST-5 did not have a collar and is now missing. We can only hope that the tigress is well but if not, it is reasonable to suspect that she might have been poached," the official said.

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