A snare trap installed in Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary led to the death of a tigress. Post-mortem revealed that the big cat died of injuries inflicted due to nylon wire.
A T-4 tigress in Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary coming under Pandharkawada (wildlife) division was found to be entangled in snare trap on November 11, 2017. An operation was taken up to capture her. However, it was not possible to tranquilise her as movement of tigress was found to be in night from the camera trap images and there was no direct sighting during search operation.
This T-4 tigress was seen in sanctuary area upto May 5, 2018. Later, camera traps installed near waterhole in compartment no. 133 revealed her existence inside sanctuary on May 16, 2018. A team of field staff, which went to install camera traps near nullah in compartment no. 133 to monitor her movement , sighted her at 4.30 pm. Her movements were slowed down and she was not able to stand also. Later, range forest officer and veterinarian reached the spot and tranquilising dart was fired at 6.30 pm. Later after it was confirmed that she was unconscious, she was put into a cage in rescue van for further treatment. Meanwhile, it became clear that tigress had died at around 8 pm. As post mortem was not possible during night, the carcass of tigress was put in ice pack. The post mortem was performed on Monday in Tipeshwar Rest House premises as per guidelines of National Tiger Conservation Authority. Samples of viscera were taken in sealed in bottles to ascertain exact cause of nature.
During post mortem, it was found that there was nylon wire trap around throat of tigress and it had caused deep and serious injury. Maggots were also found. The carcass of tigress was cremated on the spot after completion of post mortem. A team of senior officers, veterinarians and representatives of NTCA and chief wildlife warden of Maharashtra. The team comprised of conservator of forest and field director of Nawegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve R M Ramanujam, assistant commissioner of animal husbandry department Dr T P Bawane (Pandharkawada), livestock development officer Dr Udarraj Nakade (jamb), veterinarian of Pench Tiger Reserve (Nagpur) Dr Chetan Patond, NTCA’s representative and honorary wildlife warden of Yavatmal district Dr Ramzan Virani, WCT’s and PCCF (wildlife)’s representative Aditya Joshi, DFO (wildlife) of Pandharkawada, livestock development officer (panchayat samiti) Dr Gopal Thakur of Pandharkawada, veterinarian Dr Subodh Nandagawali from the Nagpur office of APCCF (wildlife-east), livestock development officer Dr Dinesh Pawar (Ghatanji), RFO (wildlife) Amar Sidam of Tipeshwar, Dr Ankush Dube, Dr Sayyad Bilal, of transit treatment centre (Nagpur), other field officers and staff.
