Mumbai: The Maharashtra principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF-wildlife) issued orders to capture a tigress involved in man-animal conflict in Yavatmal district on monday evening. The reason behind such order was, two days before a woman (60) was attacked to death by the tigress at an agricultural field near Andharwadi and Pattanbori villages, which are located adjacent to Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.
According to the State forest department officials, the tigress was regularly spotted moving across villages such as Andharwadi, Koparmandvi, Vasari, and Kobai in Pandharkawada Forest Reserve through camera trap images. The animal’s movement has sparked panic and hostile environment among villagers.
The Wildlife Protection Act (WLPA), 1972 gives authority to the chief wildlife warden or PCCF of a state to declare a wild animal threat or danger to human life by invoking section 11 (1) (a) of the Act.
Nitin Kakodkar, PCCF-wildlife, Maharashtra, said, “I have issued an order for the capture of the tigress. The tigress (T2C1) has been identified as one of the cubs of dominant female T2, a resident tigress of Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.” “The tigress have been involved in 2 conflict with humans and atleast six livestock (cattle and goats) have been killed in the past two months,” he added.
“We have deployed teams from the Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), who were sent from Melghat Tiger Reserve. Rapid rescue units and five range officers are also monitoring the situation. Villages have been advised not to venture close to forest areas or send their cattle for grazing until the tigress is captured.”
The first attack by the tigress was reported on September 4. A group of local villagers met state forest minister Sanjay Rathore requesting him for the animal’s immediate capture. The second one was the woman working in field.
Maharashtra has registered 47 human deaths caused due to wild animal attacks this year, including 29 because of conflict with tigers , the officials pointed.