Sariska tiger strays into Haryana again, villagers on edge
Sumedha Sharma
Tribune News Service
Gurugram, August 18
A two-and-a-half-year-old tiger has strayed into Haryana from the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan after injuring five villagers along the interstate border there, triggering panic in the Rewari region.
The tiger is reported to be in the Jhabua reserved forest area. An alert has been sounded asking people not venture out in the area. Farmers too have been asked not to visit their fields and inform the authorities in case they spot the tiger or see its pugmarks. The tiger — ST-2303 — travelled around 100 km and reached the Jhabua reserved forest in Rewari district. This is the second time that this tiger has strayed into this area. It had earlier entered Rewari in January this year when it attacked a few farmers here.
Pugmarks spotted, Alert sounded
- The tiger is reported to be in the Jhabua reserved forest area of Rewari district
- An alert has been sounded asking farmers and others not to venture out in the area
- The tiger has attacked five persons in a Rajasthan village
- The Rajasthan wildlife authorities have sent a team to trace the tiger. While the team has come across pugmarks, it hasn’t been able to spot the tiger
The Rajasthan wildlife authorities have sent a team to trace the tiger. While the team has come across pugmarks, it has not been able to spot the tiger. According to Sariska DFO Rajendra Hudda, the search operation is challenging owing to standing crops, rain, unfamiliar terrain and absence of tracks in forested areas. “Our team is constantly monitoring the tiger’s movement. It has entered Jhabua in Haryana. We have found its pugmarks, but haven’t been able to locate the tiger. One of the major hindrances right now is the absence of motorable tracks in Jhabua. The team can’t venture further in the jungle. We are setting up cameras and waiting for an opportunity to spot and tranquilise it,” said Hudda while speaking to The Tribune. The tiger has attacked five persons at Khairthal village in Rajasthan. The attack came when farmers ventured into their fields in a bid to catch the tiger despite being warned against doing so.
In January, the tiger had returned to Rajasthan on its own after staying in Haryana for a few days.
“The tiger is familiar with the path as it had come here in January as well. It won’t stay in Haryana for long,” said Gokul Kanan, a biologist accompanying the team.
