BANGALORE: As summer peaks, the state forest department has something important to contend with -- vulnerability of big cats in Project Tiger areas.. Summers result in the tiger stripes showing:
With soaring temperature, the big cats come out of hiding more often to quench their thirst at water holes, rendering them visible.
Patrolling on foot and even on vehicles around water holes goes up during summer months. "In the southern reserves, density of tigers is quite high. Hence it becomes very easy to spot an animal in the summer months. Given that our staff strength is now better than what it was a few years ago, we are certainly able to depute more people to keep a check on the important ranges," said Dipak Sarmah, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and the chief wildlife warden, Karnataka forest department.
Poaching, however, still remains a real big threat this summer. Last July, there were attempts last July by a gang of tribal people, natives of Haryana, attempted to sneak into the BRT area, but were arrested well before they could execute their plan.
In a recent case, a melanistic leopard (commonly called black panther) was ensnared in the Sivali beat of Tamange section of Gund range, in Dandeli-Anshi reserve. The carcass of the three-year-old leopard was found on March 5.
a giant squirrels had killed an Indian giant squirrel
. The leopard, in its quest to get to the carcass of the squirrel, was also ensnared and got killed.
Senior forest officials maintain that the big cats are vulnerable at all times, summer season not being an exception. "It is true that the visibility of the animals is increasing now, but it is also easy for the patrolling team to cover more distance. Even the vehicles can move at ease during this time to keep a better check on poachers," said R Gokul, director and conservator, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.
As animal sightings become frequent, poachers are also more visible, thanks to the depleting green forest cover which exposes them, said senior officials.
saswati.mukherjee@timesgroup.com
Box
Number of tiger deaths in Project Tiger Reserves between 1.1.2012-31.3.13 - 23
Poaching deaths - 4 (Monetary implication)
Poisoning deaths - 2 (Revenge killing)
Number of tiger deaths in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve since 2007 - 7
(Source: State forest department)
