Telangana: Villagers cautioned not to harm tiger on the prowl
Warangal/Mulugu: Officials have sounded a note of alert for people living in villages in the forest and its fringes in Mulugu district about a tiger on the move in the forested areas. The officials have asked people not to harm the tiger and also not to erect electric fences in their agricultural fields posing threat to the tiger.
Mulugu police officials released posters mentioning about sighting of the tiger and its pug marks in the villages in the forest and on its fringes. The posters listed out the precautions to be taken if any villagers came face to face with the tiger. There has been an incident in which a tiger was electrocuted in Eturunagaram wildlife sanctuary after it tripped on an electrical fencing put up by a farmer to protect his crops from wild animals two months ago. Following this, another tiger has been sighted in the same area by the forest department officials.
The villagers were asked not to venture into the forest. If they came face to face with the tiger, they were asked not to turn around and run. at the same time, they should not stare into the eyes of the tiger, but slowly start walking backwards. People should make loud noises to scare away the animal.
In a statement here on Wednesday, Mulugu ASP P Sai Chaitanya said that the people living in the middle of the forest areas or on the forest fringes should be alert as the tiger pug marks were noticed in the forest area recently.
“We also have a responsibility to ensure that no harm is done to the tiger,” he said and warned that those who attempt to poach the tiger would be dealt with in the strict manner as per the law.
He also said those who hunted a tigress in September this year were being prosecuted and sent to jail, adding that a non-bailable case would be registered if the tiger is harmed.
Stating that the police department has already alerted the people of the area, the ASP appealed to people not to venture into the forest. The famers were also asked not to lay electric fences around their fields to prevent the wildlife from damaging the crop as it would harm the tiger.
“The government will provide compensation to the owners, if the tiger kills the cattle or sheep. We are requesting the people to provide information about the movement of the tiger, if they spot the tiger, to the police department,” he added.
It may be added here that a tigress was killed by poachers under the limits of the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary in the SS Tadvai mandal in Mulugu district in September this year. The police seized a tigress skin, skeletal remains including legs except for hind leg, nails and nails besides the snare used to trap the big cat from the accused.
According to Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Warangal Circle, SJ Asha, tigers have been entering the forests of Jayashankar Bhupalpally and Mulugu district by crossing the River Godavari as they were unable to find prey-population in the Indravati Tiger Reserve of the Chhattisgarh State.
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