Fearing conflict, NTCA wants capture of elusive T1 cub

Nagpur: Even as the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) officials want to stop the operation to capture T1’s tiger cub (C1), the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has stressed the need to translocate the tiger, and asked to continue efforts.
C1, which is over 18 months old now, has been elusive for the past seven months, but its presence is being seen in the Pandharkawda forest of Sarathi and Vihirgaon villages with indirect evidence, like pugmarks, killing of baits and camera trap images.
The sub-adult cub is shuffling between two compartments 657 with FDCM and 652 (Vihirgaon) in the night hours, when it cannot be captured. There is scientific evidence that the cub is killing animals on its own. Till now the cub has killed more than 20-25 baits.
Several unsuccessful attempts in the past have made the cub afraid of humans. On a couple of occasions, when the cub ran into cattle and graziers in the forest, the cub ran away fast.
NTCA deputy inspector general (DIG) Surender Mehra has said considering that live baits are still being fed, and the cub’s movement pattern, it is extremely important to translocate the individual.
“Considering that it is a growing active male tiger, and possibly will attempt to venture out, and the possibility of it running into humans cannot be ruled out,” Mehra said.
NTCA has asked the forest department to share and use all types of electronic surveillance data, camera traps, video recordings and movement pattern about the cub. It has also asked it to prepare comprehensive plan to capture the animal with the help of standardized methods. The NTCA has also suggested availing services of tranquillizing teams from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.
In a fresh move, the territorial department has set up another enclosure in 37 hectares in Vihirgaon forest area to localize the cub. Another enclosure is spread over just 2 hectares in FDCM compartment.
Since December 25, when the cub escaped from a 80-hectare enclosure, 3-4 unsuccessful attempts have been made to net the tiger.
“Summer was the best season to capture the cub and with monsoon approaching, it will be more difficult to take up the operation. Chances of conflict cannot be ruled out with grazing pressure on forest during rains increasing,” said Tejni village sarpanch Devidas Mangi. T1 was mostly involved in conflict when the forest had green pasture.
Pandharkawda deputy conservator (DyCF) KM Abharna said, “A meeting of the SOP committee was held recently in which we decided to calculate carrying capacity of cattle. We will discourage grazing by strengthening monitoring.”
“Presently, we have installed 90 camera traps monitored by seven teams. Besides, 16 STPF men are patrolling the area. There are over 50 pug impression pads (PIS) to record cub’s presence and baits are also being put in the enclosure,” he said.