K.M Abharna, the deputy conservator of forests (DCF), Pandharkawada, confirmed that two elephants from the Kanha tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh had arrived with veterinarians from the state.
The largest such operation to capture a tigress which has killed 13 people over the last two years and her two cubs will be launched from Wednesday.
K.M Abharna, the deputy conservator of forests (DCF), Pandharkawada, confirmed that two elephants from the Kanha tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh had arrived with veterinarians from the state. "Our veterinarians are also there. We have a team of 18 people and eight more will join," she said, adding that they would survey the area on Wednesday.
The forest department had sought six elephants from Madhya Pradesh for the operation.
Abharna said the fresh orders issued by the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) had said that the tigress and her two cubs would be darted and tranquilised and in case this was unsuccessful, the feline would be shot.
The tough 6,000-hectare terrain near Pandharkawada, which consists of lantana grass, makes it difficult to conduct such capture operations on foot or in vehicles.
This is the first and largest such operation in Maharashtra and perhaps India where multiple tigers, including a tigress with cubs, would be captured.
The female tigress (T1) and the male (T2), who migrated to the landscape located around Ralegaon from the Tipeshwar wildlife sanctuary, are around five years old and have two cubs aged between eight to 10 months. The tigress is blamed for nine human kills last year and four this year, with three deaths—the latest occurred on August 28—taking place in just 24 days.
In November 2016, the forest department had used two elephants to dart and capture a three-year-old problem tigress at Bramhapuri in Chandrapur district. The tigress was later released at the Chaprala wildlife sanctuary in Gadchiroli.
ONE OF A KIND
This is the first and largest such operation in Maharashtra and perhaps India where multiple tigers, including a tigress with cubs, would be captured
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Elephant")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}