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65 tiger sightings thrill volunteers in Vidarbha region's national parks


The machan(waterhole) census carried out in various sanctuaries, national parks and tiger reserves in Vidarbha thrilled the volunteers with a record 66 individual tiger sightings apart from other wildlife.

Of the total tiger 66 sightings, 29 were in Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), 24 in parks under Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), seven in Melghat Tiger Reserve and five in Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR). However, the figure doesn't include sightings in buffer area of Tadoba where too many volunteers participated in the exercise.

"There were direct seven tiger and 14 leopard sightings in Melghat. Over 300 volunteers participated at 414 water holes," said D K Tyagi, CCF & field director of Melghat.

Unlike last year, Tadoba and Pench stole the show with maximum tiger sightings. Assistant conservator of forests (ACF) CS Reddy said in Tadoba range 14 tigers were sighted from 15 machans. Similarly, in Kolsa and Moharli ranges, nine and six tigers respectively were sighted. "At many places, sloth bear sightings were recorded indicating their number might have gone up," said Reddy.

Chief conservator of forests (CCF) & field director of Pench MS Reddy informed that as per reports from volunteers and range forest officers (RFOs), 24 tigers including cubs were sighted in various ranges of Tipeshwar, Umred-Karhandla, Mansinghdeo, Bor, New Bor, and East and West Pench.

"Of the 24, five including a tigress and two cubs were sighted in Pilekhan, one each in Bhimkund and Karchuki. There were 32 machans in Tipeshwar. In Painganga, 13 volunteers sighted 14 wolves and three sloth bears," said Reddy. In two ranges, Kuhi and Umred, of Umred-Karhandla, six tigers and three leopards were sighted besides 39 bisons in Umred and 40 in Paoni range. Volunteers also sighted 16 wild dogs.

In East Pench, a tiger and a tigress besides two tigers at separate spots were sighted near Venu Van, Bhakari and Hattigota areas. One tiger was sighted in West Pench and one in Chorbahuli. "It was not only tigers but volunteers also reported sighting of 53 bisons. Participants also recorded eight vultures, 45 wild dogs and 43 jackals and two crocodiles," said Himanshu Bagde, a volunteer. In Bor and New Bor, five tigers and two leopards were sighted, besides a record 20 sloth bears.

Talking to TOI, divisional forest officer (DFO) Ashok Khune said two tigers each were sighted in Nagzira and New Nagzira while one was sighted in Koka. "We allowed volunteers in waiting list to participate as half of those listed earlier did not turn up," said Khune. It was exactly opposite in Tadoba and Pench where many applications had to be rejected. For the first time, Pench officials allotted machans by draw of lots. They also allowed participation on first-come-first-served basis.

This time the census was conducted in a more organized manner. Participants were supplied chilled water cans by Rotary Club of Chandrapur besides snacks by the forest department. "The department needs to take up such exercises to sensitize people," said senior counsel CS Kaptan, who was part of the exercise.


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