Activists livid over tigress killing; officials launch hunt for cubs

Killing of a six-year-old tigress has left wildlife enthusiasts furious and they are mulling moving the Supreme Court to stop any more kills in the region.

Less than 24 hours after six-year-old tigress T1 — said to have killed 13 people since June 2016 — was shot and killed by the forest department in Yavatmal, the Maharashtra forest department said killing the tigress was only half the job done.

Killing of a six-year-old tigress has left wildlife enthusiasts furious and they are mulling moving the Supreme Court to stop any more kills in the region. (Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)

“We cannot say the mission is complete because we have to take care of T1’s cubs,” said Virendra Tiwari, chief conservator of forest (Mantralaya), state forest department. “They cannot be left in the wild. But they are not to be shot, only tranquillised and this needs to be done at the earliest to ensure their good health.” Officials will try to tranquillise the cubs and keep them in captivity.

The move has left wildlife enthusiasts furious as they are mulling moving the Supreme Court (SC) to stop any more kills in the region. Dr Jerryl A Banait, who had approached the Supreme Court and the Bombay high court in this matter, said, “The frightened cubs waiting for their mother’s return are young, fragile and currently starved. If tranquillised, they will not be able to withstand the sedative effect and succumb to injuries.”

“The forest department’s intention was never to tranquillise her. We will take the government head on and expose the real reasons why Avni died,” said Anand Siva, activist. Both Banait and Siva alleged diversion of forest land adjacent to the forest area for industrial purposes by the forest department and local villagers demanding compensation as the reasons for killing T1.

“These claims are baseless as those protesting this have lost every legal battle and even met the chief minister but nothing happened,”said a senior forest department officer.