Pregnant tigress poached in Maharashtra, worrying foresters of Telangana

According to sources and vernacular news reports, the four-year old tigress was found dead at a culvert by a forester on Monday morning.

Adilabad: In a heart-wrenching incident, a pregnant tigress was locked inside of a culvert and burnt alive by poachers near Jhari-Jamni villages in the Pandharkavada Taluq of Yavatmal district of Maharashtra on Monday last. The big cat is known to have four calves in its womb. The poachers cut off the frontal claws of the tigress, named Waghin.

According to sources and vernacular news reports, the four-year old tigress was found dead at a culvert by a forester on Monday morning. The hunters set an iron to trap the national animal before setting the carnivore on fire by locking it in the culvert, which used to be the safe shelter of the big cat. They then stabbed it with sharp objects to make sure that she was dead. They later removed the claws.

The killing assumed significance with Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (TWS) where the poaching was reported is located around 30 kilometers from Adilabad district. Big cats belonging to TWS would often migrate to Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR), situated in the erstwhile Adilabad district, in search of territory.

It has become a cause for concern among the forests of the district, who suspect poachers might focus on the big cats dwelling in the landscape of KTR and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve of Chandrapur in Maharashtra as well.

The veterinary officer of the Pench Tiger Project, Dr Chetan Patond, Dr Wani, Dr Arun Jadhav, Zari, SS Dr Chavan, Mukutban. D G Dr Jadhav, Maregaon VC Jagde performed the autopsy on the tigress. They said the cause of death would be known after receiving the autopsy report. Assistant Forest Ranger (Junkas and Campa) Pandharkavada is investigating the case by filing a preliminary forest case. A search was launched for nabbing the hungers.

Second incident in a month

A tiger dwelling was poached in Zari forests fall under Tipeshwar Tiger Reserve of Yavatmal district recently. It is learned that the poachers targeted the tigers inhabiting the reserve which is dwelled by scores of tigers, considering the conducive environment and rich prey base. Environmentalists requested the authorities concerned to take steps for checking the menace of poaching.

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