Bunker, ATVs used in unique ops to capture elusive CT1

Nagpur: While a bunker is a military fortification against the enemy, it was for the first time used to capture a problem tiger CT1 which had turned people’s enemy in Gadchiroli’s Wadsa forest range.
The bunker was put to use as an alternative after all other tricks failed to trap CT1 that was elusive for 9 long months. Attempts to trap the tiger by funnelling (cornering the tigering and then trapping it) and specially designed nets had also failed even though the tiger had killed the baits that were kept for it.
State PCCF (wildlife) Mahip Gupta says this was perhaps for the first time that all-terrain vehicles (ATV) and bunker was used for such a capture operation.
For the last two days, CT1 had killed two cows near Desaiganj but it did not return to them even as the Tadoba and Andhari Tiger Reserve rapid rescue team (RRT) headed by Dr Ravikant Khobragade and sharp shooter Ajay Marathe laid in wait.
CT1 also seemed to have become extra cautious. It used to devour the baits kept to lure it during night hours when there is no human presence and darting is not allowed as per rules.
On Wednesday, around 3 am CT1 had killed a cow near government’s Valu Centre in Desaiganj. Sharp shooter Marathe and Dr Khobragade took positions from a machhan atop a tree but the tiger did not return for the entire day.
In the meanwhile, the alternative bunker plan that was worked out a week back was employed on Ekalpur-Wadsa road at the backyard of the Valu Centre where CT1 was captured on camera traps. The spot was also covered with CCTV too.
A male buffalo was laid as bait. On Thursday around 6.30 pm, the tiger killed the buffalo and left. Marathe and Dr Khobragade, who have till now successfully handled over 140 rescue operation of tigers, leopards, sloth bear and elephants, entered the bunker which was 3.5 feet wide and 6 feet high at 8.30 pm.
Half of the bunker was buried inside the ground and the entire bunker was camoflouged and made to look like a normal path. Only a 10x10 inch space was kept open to let in air. Marathe and Dr Khobragade remained in the bunker till CT1 was darted.
“At night in that mild moonlight we found that a full-grown leopard had approached the bait and devoured a part. At one point we were really confused and also mistook it for CT1. At 4.39 am, CT1 stood atop the bunker and slowly approached the bait,” said Dr Khobragade.
“As the bait was placed exactly opposite the bunker, I could dart CT1 head-on. Completely soaked by sweat inside the bunker, I shot the dart which hit the tiger’s left shoulder. It ran helter-skelter. After 10 minutes we called the team members. The tiger was found around 25 metres from the bait,” says Marathe.
Three RRTs from Tadoba, Navegaon-Nagzira and Amravati were deployed to track CT1. Apart from Dr RS Khobragade, police sharp shooter Ajay Marathe, the RRT comprised BR Dandekar, AN Mohurle, SP Nannaware, AD Tikhat, AD Korpe, and AM Dandekar.