Royal Bengal Tiger pugmarks spotted in Raikha Hills, Forest depatment on high alert

Kolkata: The state Forest department is presently on alert and has taken precautionary measures after pugmarks of a Roya Bengal Tiger were found in and around the Raikha Hills area at Bandwan in Purulia.

The nature of the pugmarks has given the foresters the impression that the big cat is shuttling between Dalma in Jharkhand and Bhararo Forest around Raikha Hills.

According to sources in the Forest department, pugmarks have been spotted in several areas under Jorsa of Potomda Police Station, Jhujhka and Tunguburu in East Singbhum, Jharkhand and Ghatihuli, Jamunagora, Bharari Forest of Bandwan, Purulia.

The marks have become prominent with rainfall on Thursday and Friday.

Interestingly, tigress Zeenat who came from Simlipal in Odisha spent over a week in and around the Raikha Hills in Purulia making it evident that the prey base for the big cat is not at all an issue in this area.

“We have kept trap cameras and wildlife trackers and placed JFMCs (joint forest management committee) members as informers to track the movement of the big cat. We are not planning to capture it now,” said Singaram Kulandaivel, chief conservator of Forests (Central Circle).

The Forest department has found that the tiger traversing the forest border of Bengal and Jharkhand for almost a month has avoided any intrusion into human habitat.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has sent her greetings for the entire forest team of 90 odd foresters involved in the successful tranquilisation of tigress Zeenat and then sending it to Jharkhand through state Forest minister Birbaha Hansda.