Image for representation only.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Fresh tiger pug marks and sightings have created a panic in Sundarbans and Purulia regions of the State. The development comes only days after Zeenat, the tigress from Odisha created panic among people of south Bengal for over two weeks and multiple attempts of capturing her kept failing.
The pug marks were discovered on Monday (January 7, 2025) morning, which has put the forest officials back into action and high alert within a week of Zeenat’s capture.
Multiple pug marks were seen in the Baikunthapur area which comes under the Maipith Coastal police station in the Sundarbans area in South 24 Parganas. This caused panic among the locals as the marks were very close to the human settlements in the area.
Similar pug marks were also reported from Purulia district of south Bengal, spreading panic among villagers. Local forest officials are constantly conducting mike campaigns in the area to keep residents away from the forests. This tiger is suspected to have strayed from Jharkhand, but the big cat has not been detected on any cameras till now.
Local police and forest officials have cordoned off some sections of the mangrove forests in Maipith to restrict the wild cat’s movements and reduce the chances of it venturing into the nearby villages.
A local from the Baikunthapur area said that they have restricted their movement around the forest to avoid any tragedy and are living in constant fear.
While speaking about the issue, Mrityunjay Biswas, Deputy Ranger of Sundarban Tiger Reserve, told The Hindu, “In this area the houses are not even 50 metres away from the forests. The tiger has escaped through the nylon fencing. We are on constant watch. We are conducting drives to ensure that the tiger can be sent back to the jungles at the soonest.”
There are around three teams of the forest department who are on the lookout for the tiger throughout the day in the Sundarbans area to ensure the safety of locals.
Mamata upset over Zeenat return
Zeenat, the tigress from Odisha had kept West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha forest department on their toes for over three weeks when finally the Bengal forest officials caught her in Bankura district of south Bengal. She was returned to Odisha on New Year’s Eve.
On Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Banerjee expressed her displeasure over Zeenat’s return. She said, “In the future, the Odisha government should send their teams to rescue tigers that stray into the State.”
She also added that another tiger has entered the State from Odisha and is posing a threat to the locals.
Ms. Banerjee also added that if a tiger was sent from Odisha, it should be sent forever. “We are keeping it. If you don’t have space, we have a tiger rescue centre, deep forests. We can keep it,” she added.
Published – January 07, 2025 07:24 pm IST
