Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A squad of two elephants from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve has reached North Shahdol to trace cub of a tigress that died due to electrocution recently. Search is being carried out inside dense forest areas, but cub has not yet been located.
A forest official from North Shahdol said area where tigress was found dead was thoroughly examined and pugmarks of only one cub, a sub-adult, were detected. With assistance of two elephants, forest staff have intensified efforts to locate cub.
Notably, a lactating tigress was found dead in a field in North Shahdol on Sunday evening. Seven-year-old animal died after coming in contact with electric fencing laid around field. When the body was discovered, it was estimated to be two to three days old. If assessment is correct, cub may have been without food for at least six days.
Given the situation, intensive efforts are being made to locate cub at earliest so that proper care can be provided. Officials also expressed concern over possible threat from other tigers moving in area.
Significantly, after recovery of tigress body, carcass of another tiger was found barely 100 metres away on Monday morning. Death of two big cats in quick succession created a sensation in Forest Department, which swung into action and nabbed the accused who had laid live electric wires around fields to protect crops from wild herbivorous animals.
