The killer tigress on the prowl in Uttar Pradesh for the past two months has managed to dodge all Government resources mobilised to trap her. Even an unmanned aerial vehicle pressed into service by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for more than ten days has failed to shoot any picture of the tigress. Seven people are believed to have been killed so far by this big cat.
With no possible clues, speculations are rife that the tigress may have returned to Corbett in Uttarakhand. Sources said wherever it may be, it is likely to be silent till it finds ample prey to survive on. It is not a compulsive man-eater to seek only humans to prey on. last time too, the tigress had struck after a fortnight-long lull between January 14 and February 9.
For the Uttar Pradesh forest department, it may spell momentary relief , since no kill has been reported since February 9 and neither its pugmarks sighted. However, according to Kamlesh Kumar, Conservator of Forests, Moradabad, “The department will continue tracking the possible areas to be doubly sure that the maneater has actually retreated to Corbett. Such operations will be continued for the whole of March.”
The WII had provided technical assistance, including UAV to the UP forest department, for high-resolution aerial mapping. According to WII sources, the images taken by the unmanned aerial vehicle, help in preparation of an interactive map, to enable identification of the exact spot where any animal movement is reported.
“Since the news of last attack was reported from Sahuwala forest range in Bijnor, we are focusing on this area to search the animal. We will also use the device in other ranges like Badhapur, Amaangarh, Kaudiya and villages situated at the fringes of Corbett,” said Kumar.
Expert teams from WII are monitoring the affected areas with over 50 camera traps deployed to track the movement, informed sources. However, going by the record of the animal so far, it is doubtful as to how far the camera traps would succeed in tracing it. Forest officials have recruited two elephants in their efforts to track down the tiger.
Further, six shooters have been given different territories to locate the tigress. Since the past two months, the maneater tigress has allegedly killed seven persons. These include one in Sambhal district and three each in Moradabad and Bijnor divisions.