Bigcats News

[Ashutosh]

Just came across a news article about a tiger I guess everyone has forgotten about. 

Tigress Avni was killed in November, 2018. She had 2 cubs who were 10 months old then. While the female was caught, collared and weighed (80 kilos) and sent to Pench for rehabilitation (she is awaiting her relocation to a national park), her brother kept giving the officials the slip.

Named T1C1 (not to be confused with the gypsy tiger who is also T1C1), he has been amazing at evading humans. At about 14 months, he jumped over a 10 foot high chain link to evade officials. Since then, he was seen once in June 2019 and his latest sighting was in December 2019 Ralegaon tehsil (closest tiger habitat is Tipeshwar Wildife sanctuary which ironically is the birthplace of the other T1C1 or gypsy tiger).

The one and half year search operation was to be concluded on 31st March but the coronavirus has meant that the one and half year search of epic farcical proportions is still ongoing. Considering that he has survived basically on his own for over 18 months first eating the bait left by wildlife officials till he 16 months old and later hunting wild prey and avoiding any man-animal conflict, the search is to be called off.

The whole case is remarkable from a 10 month cub dodging a big team of officials to managing to survive on it’s own is a testament to resilience of wild animals. Also possible, was that the father of this cub who was also in the area but has never been a problem for wildlife officials and humans taught him a few survival skills as he learned hunting and stopped eating the bait left by forest department.

https://www.thehitavada.com/Encyc/2020/4/5/Coronavirus-delays-withdrawal-of-search-operation-for-Pandharkawda-tiger.amp.html Reply