Tiger moving in 10 km radius of Rehmankheda; mapping begins
Fresh tiger pugmarks found near Lucknow suggest it's moving towards Sitapur. Authorities are tracking its movements to ensure safe passage back to the forest.
Fresh pugmarks of a tiger, which was prowling in Rehmankheda on the outskirts of Lucknow, found on Tuesday suggested that it might be moving towards Sitapur. The latest footprints, which were ‘more visible’, were spotted in Katauli village near Kakori.
“One of the pugmarks found measured 13-inch by 14-inch, confirming that it was of an adult male tiger. Since we have found seven pugmarks so far, we have begun mapping the tiger’s movement to understand which way it may head,” said Sitanshu Pandey, the divisional forest officer of Awadh Range.
Asked if the tiger was moving away from Lucknow and towards the forests it came from, Pandey said, “It is difficult to say this right now. We need to observe its movement for another day or two.”
According to officials, the wild cat was moving within a 10 km radius of Rehmankheda. A day before, it was moving towards the Agra highway, which is towards Lucknow city, and now in the direction of Sitapur.
After the discovery of the fresh pugmarks, two more teams have been deployed in the area in addition to the three that were already looking for the tiger. Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports of a tiger sighting came from villager Haluapur. Out of the 12 camera traps, a few had been shifted towards the site where the tiger was spotted. A drone camera, equipped with thermal sensors, was being used during the night as well to capture the movement of the tiger. A team of Wildlife Trust of India is also in the area to coordinate with the UP forest department.
“By mapping the tiger’s movement, we will be in a position to ascertain which way it will move next, and thus activities to locate the animal will be intensified. The attempt is to allow a safe passage to the animal back to the forest or rescue it if needed,” said the DFO.
Lucknow, with over 45-lakh human dwellers, is fascinating for tigers also. The city is connected to a tiger corridor that originates from Lakhimpur Kheri and passes through Shahjahanpur and Hardoi before reaching Lucknow along the Sharda Canal. Hence, tigers or leopards come walking along the canal.
