Tiger hit by speeding car on NH7 near Pench
Vijay Pinjarkar | TNN | Feb 3, 2019, 03:21 IST
Nagpur: In yet another example of how tigers are falling prey to linear intrusions, a full-grown tiger was seriously injured when it was hit by a speeding vehicle on NH7 close to the Maharashtra side of the Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR).
According to Pench chief conservator of forest (CCF) and field director Ravikiran Govekar, the incident occurred around 7pm when the tiger was crossing the four-lane highway near Harnakund village.
Sources said the tiger crossed the road from the territorial forest area and was going toward Pench when it was hit by the speeding vehicle (MH40-AR-9585).
“There were blood stains at the spot. The forest staff heard loud growling of the tiger from the thickets. It may be injured and in pain. The sound was coming from about 100 metres away from the highway,” said sources.
“We are monitoring the situation and a proper decision will be taken after seeing the condition of the tiger. Being dark, it will take time to attend to it,” said Govekar.
Till the time of filing report, wildlife veterinarians and rescue teams were yet to reach the spot.
The incident exposes how poorly the mitigation measures have been suggested. In 2012, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, report had suggested 48 structures, which included 16 underpasses, 15 bridges and 17 culverts. But due to political pressure, the WII itself reduced the mitigation measures to two 750 metres and one 300 metre underpasses.
“With the big cat’s death, it seems the mitigation measures are proving insufficient. Had there been an underpass, the animal would have used it. This must be the regular spot from where animals cross the road,” said Udayan Patil, who is fighting to save corridors from linear projects.
Pench is connected to Kanha, Navegaon-Nagzira, Tadoba tiger reserves and is one of most functional tiger corridors in the country. This is the third incident in the last 7 months involving big cats in the region.
On July 16, 2018 a full-grown leopard died in road hit while crossing the road outside Mansinghdeo Wildlife Sanctuary, now part of Pench. On December 16, 2018, a leopard was seriously injured after being hit by vehicle near Deolapar, a few kilometres away from the spot where tiger has been injured. The leopard died last month during treatment in Gorewada Rescue Centre, Nagpur.
In another development, tourists and travellers spotted four tigers near Khawasa on the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border moving towards the MP side of Pench Tiger Reserve earlier on Saturday evening.
According to Pench chief conservator of forest (CCF) and field director Ravikiran Govekar, the incident occurred around 7pm when the tiger was crossing the four-lane highway near Harnakund village.
Sources said the tiger crossed the road from the territorial forest area and was going toward Pench when it was hit by the speeding vehicle (MH40-AR-9585).
“There were blood stains at the spot. The forest staff heard loud growling of the tiger from the thickets. It may be injured and in pain. The sound was coming from about 100 metres away from the highway,” said sources.
“We are monitoring the situation and a proper decision will be taken after seeing the condition of the tiger. Being dark, it will take time to attend to it,” said Govekar.
Till the time of filing report, wildlife veterinarians and rescue teams were yet to reach the spot.
The incident exposes how poorly the mitigation measures have been suggested. In 2012, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, report had suggested 48 structures, which included 16 underpasses, 15 bridges and 17 culverts. But due to political pressure, the WII itself reduced the mitigation measures to two 750 metres and one 300 metre underpasses.
“With the big cat’s death, it seems the mitigation measures are proving insufficient. Had there been an underpass, the animal would have used it. This must be the regular spot from where animals cross the road,” said Udayan Patil, who is fighting to save corridors from linear projects.
Pench is connected to Kanha, Navegaon-Nagzira, Tadoba tiger reserves and is one of most functional tiger corridors in the country. This is the third incident in the last 7 months involving big cats in the region.
On July 16, 2018 a full-grown leopard died in road hit while crossing the road outside Mansinghdeo Wildlife Sanctuary, now part of Pench. On December 16, 2018, a leopard was seriously injured after being hit by vehicle near Deolapar, a few kilometres away from the spot where tiger has been injured. The leopard died last month during treatment in Gorewada Rescue Centre, Nagpur.
In another development, tourists and travellers spotted four tigers near Khawasa on the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border moving towards the MP side of Pench Tiger Reserve earlier on Saturday evening.
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