A male tiger in the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) has retraced a lost corridor by reaching Bandhavgarh and Sanjay Tiger reserves and making the latter its new abode.
PTR Director R Sriniwas Murthy informed that in order to find a safer location with the objective of avoiding struggle in view of growing male tiger population in Panna Reserve, tiger ‘Panna-212’ set out on a journey on February 14. In the process, it discovered an old lost corridor and reached the Sanjay Tiger Reserve.
He said the big cat is expected to set up its kingdom and thereby emphasise the importance of forest corridors in tiger conservation.In the course of its travel, the feline traversed through Amanganj and Pawai areas near Ken river to Parsamnia Pathar and reached Kaimur hills. It encountered several difficulties during the journey.
The big cats once prowled freely in the old corridor but a major portion was lost due to human settlement.‘Panna-212’ waited for seven days in Maihar hills for a fire in reality halogen lights in a nearby cement factory during nights to extinguish but when nothing happened it reached Kaimur hills through Bargi and Kenal National Highway and crossing Allahabad-Katni Railway line.
While tracing its steps through Kaimur range, it again faced problem when it reached Bansagar Dam that did not exist hitherto. The tiger moved ahead and reached Rewa's Mauganj area where it encountered human settlement.
Murthy said the feline was finally tranquilised at a farm in front of a house at Rewa's Bajha village on Saturday and later taken to Sanjay Tiger Reserve.There was also a moment when villagers at Rewa's Chhuhia village contemplated killing the animal but were persuaded against it by forest labourer Bhagirath Prasad Dwivedi.