Expert rescuers from Sanjay Gandhi National Park sent to Yavatmal to look for the two cubs of the slain tigress
Even as the search for the two subadult cubs of Tigress T1 also called Avni is going on a war footing in Yavatmal, a leopard rescue team from Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), which is considered one of the best rescue teams in the country, has joined the efforts.
A three-member team led by Dr Shailesh Pethe, Veterinary Officer of SGNP, reached Pandharkaoda on Wednesday morning after a 15-hour road journey and will help the forest department in its efforts to locate and trap the two cubs.
"The rescue team from Mumbai is very experienced and has handled the human-wildlife conflict situation in Mumbai very efficiently and has even carried out search operations for leopards on the forest stretch along Mumbai. Therefore, they were asked to join the effort to locate Avni's cubs," said Sunil Limaye, the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF), who is overlooking the rescue operations.
Currently there are five veterinarians including Pethe at Padharkaoda, in addition to the 200 people who are already on the lookout for the two 11-month-old cub.
"We have around 100 staff members from forest while the rest are locals who have been gotten on board to help," said Limaye, adding that along with this about 112 camera traps have been placed at key locations across a 90-sq km area where movement of the cubs is anticipated.
As per Limaye, a base camp has been set up from where different teams head out searching for signs of the two cubs.
"We keep having our strategy meetings to discuss the areas covered and the ones remaining, along checks of all 112 camera traps. A daily action report is also sent to the National Tiger Conservation Authority," he said.
Twelve days have passed without a sign of the cubs. A section of wildlife lovers said they suspect the cubs could have died by now. On the other hand, many conservationists feel the state forest department was wrong in deciding to trap these cubs.
"It's the pressure that built up owing to the controversy due to which the forest department is searching for these two cubs. Once located, they will only be caged in some zoo," said a conservationist, adding that the cubs begin hunting at 11 months old, so they would be fine.
SCRAPING THE FACTS
- It is alleged that a team led by Hyderabad-based sharpshooter Shafat Ali Khan’s son Asghar shot the tigress T1, aka Avni, dead, and then fired a tranquilising shot.
- The standard operating procedure required him to do the exact opposite.
- A three-member NTCA team, one of the 2 panels formed to probe the killing of T1, is recording statements of people present during the shooting.
- It took Shafat Khan and Asghar on Wednesday and will submit a report by November 26.
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