Says Weather Conditions Add top the Difficiluties
The Forest Department have roped in traqualizing expert from Assam Dr Abhijit Bhawal for tranqualizing the stray tigress of Moradabad. Dr Abhijit is a Veteniary Surgeon with the IFFA WTI has already reached the Afzalgarh camp which is the closest to the last sighting of the tigess at the Sahuwallah. The Forest Department has also increased two shooters taking the total strength of the shooters to five in the area. Abhijit while talking to "The Pioneer" said that heavy rains had wiped of the pug marks of the tigress from the area where it was last seen and weather was causing a problem.
The man who has sedated over twenty five leopards, 7-8 tigers and the same number of rhinocerous that they have already a plan but they would work out a strategy after discussing the details with the forest officials. He said that the weather was adding to the problems. " We have a plan although we will work out the strategy after talking with the forest officials. The weather has created the problem because the last pug marks that were seen near the river at Sahuwallah and any fresh pug marks have been wiped out because of the rains. This means that the trackers have to start afresh" said Abhijit.
He said that that one thing was sure that they had to act as soon as the tigeress was sighted. " What is important that there should be no gap after the tigress has been sighted and we have to move at once and have all that is required which includes the elephants and the cages. After darting it takes ten minutes for the effects to show and the cage has to be kept ready" said the tranqualizing experts. He said that they had to keep several issues in minds. " There are shooters in the area and also the trackers. The villagers are very scared because of the killings and so the issue is a complex one" he said.
The expert said that he had seen the forest and did not believe that it was very dense. " It is dense but not very dense. And if the tigress moves inside after darting it can go beyond our reach. There are limitations and we have to cope up with these mimitations. However I am quite hopeful that we will be successful." he said.
The expert said that he had tranqualized several animals. "In Assam I am near Kaziranga where there are a lot of man animal conflicts and in an unfortunate instance my friend who was with me got shot in 2008. Although he was not killed there was some damage" he said.
Dr Abhijit said that they were hoping that they were successful in tranqualizing the tiger so that the animal is saved. He said that it would take some time as they needed to watch the movement of the tigress.
The tigress has been on the prowl since the past three months and had successfully evaded all chances of being shot at or trapped. Meanwhile the shooters that have been added are Kunwar Pratap and Ali Adnan.