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Day 3 of ‘tiger’ hunt: Fresh pugmarks found in Rehmankheda
Thermal drones and camera traps deployed in Rehmankheda after tiger sighting reports. Locals advised to stay indoors as officials monitor the situation.
Thermal drones were deployed and the number of camera traps was increased on the third day of a reported tiger sighting in Rehmankheda after fresh pugmarks were found there. The carcass of a blue bull or nilgai that was reportedly hunted by a wild animal was found in the area located on the outskirts of Lucknow last Friday.
“We have found fresh pugmarks near the location where they were spotted a day before. But these pugmarks do not indicate which way the animal may be moving,” Sitanshu Pandey, the divisional forest officer of Awadh Range, said on Sunday.
The thermal drones are equipped to locate animal movement during the night as well hence they will be used both in day and night hours.
Public awareness was also stepped up with posters of ‘dos and don’ts’ for residents in half a dozen villages under Rehmankheda—Ulrapur, Methenagar, Dugauli, Mandauli and Habibpur. Primarily, forest officials are asking villagers to avoid stepping out of their houses during night hours.
“We have asked the director of Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (which is located in Rehmankhera) to avoid sending workers to the area where a tiger sighting was reported,” said Renu Singh, the chief conservator of forest of Lucknow division. The monitoring of the camera traps and two cages is being done by three teams for round-the-clock vigilance.
Tiger sighting was reported in Rehmankheda after a gap of 12 years. The last time a tiger had entered the area was in 2012 when it stayed there for 108 days. With a good prey base and nearby Behta Nallah, Rehmankheda is an ideal place where a tiger may want to stay put for a couple of weeks after straying there from a nearby forest or a tiger reserve.
Officials clarified that no one had seen a tiger and it was the killing of a blue bull and pugmarks that suggested that it could be a tiger. “Our wait and watch will continue until we are very sure that the area is safe for humans,” said the forest official.
Meanwhile, locals avoided going out alone and those leaving home went out in groups and were armed with sticks. Children had been asked to avoid going to schools, particularly alone.
