Unlike typical tigers, this one doesn’t return to its kills, making tranquilisation attempts difficult for officials monitoring its movements.Officials from the Maharashtra Forest Department confirmed that despite continuous efforts, capturing the tiger has been difficult due to the challenging landscape and nearby villages
The cub seen in the picture is the tiger that travelled from Tipeshwar to Solapur, and the adult is its mother T22
The operation to capture the young male tiger from Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Yavatmal (southwest of Nagpur) has been ongoing for the past two months. This tiger, which travelled approximately 500 kilometres to reach Solapur and Dharashiv districts, is displaying unusual behaviour, making the capture effort more challenging.
Typically, after a kill, a tiger remains near the site to feed at regular intervals. However, this tiger kills an animal but does not return to feed, leaving the darting team waiting for an opportunity to tranquilise it. The presence of human settlements, farmlands, and difficult terrain is further complicating the operation.
Officials from the Maharashtra Forest Department confirmed that despite continuous efforts, capturing the tiger has been difficult due to the challenging landscape and nearby villages. The tiger has been primarily roaming along the boundary of the Dharashiv and Solapur districts.
The forest department staff and officials involved in the operation
Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), Dharashiv, BA Pol, said, “The forest department team and members from RESQ CT are taking all possible measures to safely capture the animal, but the difficult terrain and human settlements in the area make darting it extremely challenging.”
Live camera traps, about 10-12 in total, have been deployed to monitor the tiger’s movements. Tuhin Satarkar, director of Wildlife at RESQ CT, said, “The terrain is very challenging, so we have to wait for the right moment when the tiger moves into an area where we can safely retrieve it before it wakes up. While we are aware of its movement zones, we must be extremely patient and seize the right opportunity.”
Once captured, the tiger will be relocated to Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, located 300 kilometres from Mumbai and spanning Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Ratnagiri districts. Researchers have identified it as the cub of tigress T22 from Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, born in 2022.
In Solapur, some farmers recently reported an increase in cattle attacks, prompting the forest department to install camera traps. To their surprise, the footage revealed the presence of the male tiger. This marks the first recorded sighting of a tiger at Yedshi Ramalinga Wildlife Sanctuary in Dharashiv district, Marathwada.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
