M F AHMED
Daltonganj, Nov. 9: Rangers have finally received a direct sighting of a tiger in the Bareysarn range (South division) of the Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR). The tiger was sighted on Monday (November 8) by ranger Tarun Kumar Singh and his team of trackers.
Field director and chief conservator of the forest at PTR, Kumar Ashutosh said, “Our rangers Tarun Kumar Singh and five or six trackers accompanying him got a direct sighting of a tiger in the Bareysarn range. This range has magnificent grass cover and tigers love to be around such places.”
“We have the exact location of the tiger sighting but we don’t want to make it public as it might be dangerous for the animal,” he added.
The field director further said, “The direct sighting of the tiger and that too by a ranger of the tiger reserve leaves no room for any doubt. It’s a tiger we vouch for. It is now mandatory for us to locate the pug marks and scat of the sighted tiger. I have asked our team to spread out in the Bareysarn range to locate these two. We will be vigorously looking for the tiger’s kill also as it will prove our valid and genuine claim of the direct sighting of the tiger in the range.”
Experts say that three things corroborate the presence of the tiger- kill, pug marks and scat. These are the big tell-tale signs of the tiger. The smell of urine and scratches on the bark of trees are other two important things as well to prove a tiger’s existence in the forest.
Kumar further informed that the Wildlife Institute of India Dehradun takes enormous time in sending the scat analysis report. “We had sent some samples of scat some two-three months ago but we are yet to get the scat analysis report from Dehradun.”
On the security front, he said, “We will step up our security cover for this tiger. All forest guards and trackers have been asked to be on high alert.” He declined to elaborate as to how his men will be doing watch and care of the tiger for reasons of the privacy and security of the tiger.
There is a special tiger protection force in the PTR for such purposes.
