Hyderabad, Jan 27
Though Telangana has been witnessing movement of tigers around human habitations, the big cats are consciously avoiding coming into contact with human beings and are not a threat to human life, the State Forest Department said on Tuesday.
The department has been proactive since the entry of the tiger into districts like Peddapally, Karimnagar, Jagityal, Kamareddy, Siddipet, Yadadri, etc.
In recent times, Telangana witnessed the movement of tigers in human-dominated landscapes like agricultural lands around villages in several districts.
The Forest Department is closely monitoring the movement of tigers which are moving in human-dominated landscapes.
Even though the tiger has been moving in and around agricultural landscapes and human habitations in several districts, it has not sighted directly by any person in any village.
The tiger is consciously avoiding coming into contact with human beings and is not a threat to human life, said Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF) and Chief Wildlife Warden (FAC) Kshitija.
She listed out the steps taken by the Forest Department to monitor the movement of tigers.
The District Forest Officers (DFOs) concerned have taken up the work of continuous monitoring and tracking of the tigers' movement through 24 x 7 vigil as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) prescribed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Teams of Forest staff were deployed for continuous monitoring, observation and tracking to determine the probable movement patterns and to alert the villagers on the path of tiger movement, the official said.
The DFOs are coordinating with District Collectors, Superintendent of Police of concerned districts, to help the Forest Department in controlling the crowd at cattle kill sites and to maintain law-and-order for ensuring public safety in affected villages with deployment of police.
District Panchayat Officers of the districts have been requested to alert villagers, to restrict unnecessary movements in sensitive areas and to disseminate information about tiger movement to the nearest Forest officials.
The Forest Department has also requested the Superintending Engineer TGSPDCL to check for illegal electric lines and live wires in agricultural fields to prevent incidents of electrocution and ensure the safety of the tiger, the local people and livestock in the area.
As per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of NTCA, a committee has been formed for monitoring the tiger movement in human dominated landscape, headed by a Conservator of Forests in various circles and with members including veterinary officers, NGOs, wildlife experts, representatives of the Panchayat Raj Department and Forest Officials.
A Wildlife expert and Veterinarian from Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra, was invited to visit the areas where the Tiger movement is observed. His suggestions and inputs have been received and are being implemented.
Tiger trap cages from Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad, are ready to be shifted to probable Tiger movement locations for trapping the tiger if the necessity arises.
Veterinary teams from Zoological Parks and Tiger Reserves with tranquillising equipment are kept in readiness to reach any site in quick time in case of necessity and possibility
Tiger trackers from Kawal and Amrabad Tiger Reserves are also kept on alert to be deployed to monitor and track the movement of the tiger in affected districts, and whenever possible help of experts, volunteers and NGO's is being requested.
The Forest Department head also stated that thermal drones would be deployed to monitor the tiger movement during night hours.
A state-level technical group is being constituted with experts from Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for timely guidance on the tiger straying and other wildlife issues, the official added.
- IANS
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