Tadoba tigress with possible snare wound shocks wildlife lovers

Nagpur: The sighting of Shivanzari tigress in Kolsa range of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) with what appears to be a wire snare wound on her neck has sent shockwaves among wildlife lovers and conservationists.
On March 30, three tourist vehicles sighted Shivanzari tigress relaxing in a waterhole during morning safari. They were shocked to see a deep injury around the neck of the tigress. Tourists clicked pictures in which the injury is clearly visible. On March 31, pictures clicked by Subhash Wankhede went viral on social media raising fears that even premium park like Tadoba was not safe for tigers.

“I saw deep wound on the right side of the tigress’s neck. It was bleeding and the big cat was trying to lick the wound with her tongue with great difficulty. I don’t know nature of injury. It may be due to fight or received while making a kill,” said Wankhede, a resident of Gadchiroli.

A closer look at the pictures shows a ring mark around the neck that points to the neck getting entangled in wire snare. It is possible tigress got entangled in the wire snares meant to kill herbivores for bushmeat by local poachers.

“We have received pictures of injured tigress. We are examining the nature of wound and if need be will tranquillize the tigress. It is possible the tigress might have got injured in a bear attack as camera trap images show bear at the same spot,” said TATR field director NR Praveen, who visited Kolsa after receiving the pictures.

“It is shocking that despite the tiger reserve having a full-fledged squad of special tiger protection force (STPF) such incidents are happening. Entire energy of staff is being spent on tourism, bypassing protection. If tigers are not safe in protected areas (PAs), the less said the better about other areas,” said Suresh Chopne, member, regional environment committee (REC), MoEFCC.

“Tadoba landscape has a history of snaring. The demand for bushmeat has always been there and local poachers often use this technique. It was not long ago that snares were seized in large numbers, either set up or hidden in and around Tadoba forest,” said Nitin Desai, Central India director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI).

“These snares are made using GI wires or inners of motorcycle clutch wires. They can be as small as six inches in diameter to snare small mammals like hare or big enough to trap a male sambar stag with antlers. This case shows the practice is still prevalent and calls for a special de-snaring operation,” Desai said.

“Kolsa’s dominant tigress is around 10 years of age and has delivered at least 16 cubs through four litters. I strongly feel it should be captured and treated and not left to die like the Tipeshwar tigress (T4), which too had a wire snare in her neck but died as no serious effort was made to trace and capture her,” said wildlife lover Dr Jerry Banait.

Tipeshwar tigress was found with a wire snare around her neck on September 11, 2017. As nothing was done to track and capture her, the tigress died on March 18, in a botched rescue operation by staff.

Dr Banait said, “Field staff has failed to report such matters as there is no foot patrolling. The incident also calls for increasing carrying capacity of tourist vehicles in Kolsa from just three to ten now.”

Forest officials also expressed shock. They said in 2009, based on WPSI alert, over 200 wire snares were seized from Shivni, Wasera and Piparheti surrounding Kolsa. “It is not the first case. In 2010, poachers killed a tigress in Hirdinala in Kolsa using wire snares. Her claws were seized from the accused who belonged to Jamni and Kolsa,” said a retired forest officer.

Honorary wildlife warden Bandu Dhotre said, “Relocating Rantalodi and Kolsa villages from inside the park is the best solution to save tigers.”