Bhopal: Around Four To Five Urban Tigers Loiter In City Outskirt; The Big Cats Often Comes Near Residential Areas, Creating Panic

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The movement of around four to five urban tigers on the outskirts of the state capital is being reported at regular intervals, leaving forest officials on their toes. Recently, tiger movement near an educational institution created a flutter.

The forest department aims to fence the jungle area to prevent the movement of urban tigers toward the outer periphery of the city but such efforts are falling short.

The reason: the forest area is too vast to be fully fenced. District forest officer Lokpriya Bharti said that so far about 6 km of forest area have been covered with fencing, while for the remaining stretch a proposal will be sent to the government.

DFO added that, to meet the challenge posed by the urban tigers, the forest department is seeking support from all stakeholders including Bhopal Municipal Corporation, local residents and institutions located near the forested areas.

The BMC has been asked to ensure proper lighting arrangements, while people have been advised against venturing into the jungle at night, he added.

Recently, an urban tiger was spotted near a renowned educational institution, creating panic among staff families and hostel residents. This tiger had attacked a youth, who was luckily saved by his companions. The forest administration directed the institution to install 12-foot-high fencing to prevent big cats from entering the campus. Officials said the tiger has since retreated into the jungle.