'Wildlife medical team needed'

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The tigress was found dead in Muthodi forest after being transferred from Antharasanthe range.

“Lack of medical team in place is said to be the cause for the death of the tigress. Forest Department must at least now think of getting some of the bright students from medical colleges through campus selection, give them effective training and form their own medical team. Only then will they be in a position to handle these situations efficiently,” opine the environmentalists and add that when a tiger is taken to one forest from another, there is a need to study its possibility of survival along with its lifestyle and habits, in the similar way as it is done when tigers from Ramtambor in Gujarat are taken to Sariska in Rajasthan.

“First the tigers are left free in a confined forest area of 2 kms and their hunt like cattle, sheep etc are left into the confined area. The tigers are watched to check whether they are capable of hunting their preys for their survival. Only after ascertaining this, they are allowed free into the reserve forest area,” they said.

Responding to the death of tigress, Forest Department Principal Chief Conservator of Forest B K Singh said that the tigress was not in a position to hunt for herself and was dependent on weak cattle which could be hunted easily.

“Despite the high density of the cattle in the region, the tigress could not find herself adequate food. She must have died due to her physical condition and due to the medicines given to her while capturing her,” Singh added.