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Time of India
12-05-2025
- Time of India
UP forest authorities seek help of U'khand officials to trace injured tigress missing for over a week from PTR
Pilibhit: After eight days of unsuccessful attempts to rescue an injured tigress in the Mahof forest range of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR), officials have now sought assistance from their counterparts in Uttarakhand to help trace the elusive big injured tigress was first spotted on May 3 near the Chuka tourist zone, limping badly due to an injury to her right paw. A video taken by tourists was circulated widely on social media, prompting PTR authorities to seek urgent permission from the state's chief wildlife warden to tranquilise and treat was granted the same day, and a rescue operation was launched with eight camera traps, thermal drone surveillance, and two elephants accompanying forest teams. The tigress was last seen on May 4 and has remained untraceable May 9, Lalit Verma, additional chief conservator of forests (Project Tiger), visited PTR to assess the rescue operation. Following his review, the number of camera traps was increased from eight to 24, and the search area was widened to nearby forest suspect the tigress may have fled to adjoining forest zones, possibly driven by threats from three male tigers occupying the same field director Vijay Singh has now reached out to officials of Uttarakhand's Terai East forest division, as the Surai forest range, which shares a 24km interface with Mahof, could be a likely refuge for the tigress. "We have spoken to our counterparts in Uttarakhand, and they have agreed to conduct a joint search. Meanwhile, we will continue our efforts within PTR," said the collaboration, Sanjita Verma, sub-divisional forest officer of Terai East, told TOI, "A meeting with our field staff is scheduled for Tuesday to finalise the rescue strategy. We have already installed 20 camera traps in Surai to monitor a tigress with a metallic snare embedded in her lumbosacral region, and they may help us detect the PTR tigress too."The search for the injured tigress intensified on Monday with more forest personnel deployed from PTR's four other ranges. Meanwhile, wildlife experts have voiced concern over the tigress's survival. Some fear she may have succumbed to starvation, unable to hunt due to her injury. Others have not ruled out the possibility of poaching, citing "inadequate security" in PTR.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Time of India
Project Tiger officer visits Pilibhit to review injured big cat's rescue operation
The tigress with injured right front paw was spotted in Pilibhit. PILIBHIT: The Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Project Tiger) in Uttar Pradesh, Lalit Verma , arrived at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) from Lucknow on Friday to review the rescue operation involving an injured tigress who has remained untraceable for the past five days despite her visible limp. TOI had reported on May 9 about the tigress's injury, which had significantly restricted her movement. The tigress was first spotted on May 3 near the Chuka tourist spot in PTR by some tourists, who noticed an injury to her right front paw. A video of the tigress, captured by the tourists and widely shared on social media, led forest officials to seek permission from the state's Chief Wildlife Warden to tranquilise her for medical treatment. Operation Sindoor India's air defence systems shoot down Pak drones in J&K, Punjab & Rajasthan India-Pakistan tensions: Delhi airport issues travel advisory Operation Sindoor: Multiple explosions heard at several Pakistan air bases However, since May 4, she went missing, despite the PTR authorities' claims of constant surveillance using drone cameras, eight camera traps, and two elephants. Verma told TOI that surveillance strategies had been revised. The number of camera traps was increased from eight to 24, and the search area was significantly expanded. The extended forest area will also be equipped with more camera traps. Verma added that since three male tigers are already present in the tigress's territory, it is possible she dispersed into an adjacent part of the core forest. However, there was still no trace of her as of Friday. Wildlife enthusiasts have voiced concern through TOI about the forest department's ability to detect injured tigress in a timely manner. They fear that she may die of starvation due to her inability to chase and hunt prey. Concerns have also been raised about the risk of poaching, citing the fragile safety conditions of the reserve, which is frequently breached by local villagers entering the core area to illegally collect forest produce.
