3 tiger cubs crushed by train Avni’s cubs spotted, to be rescued soon

sha when they were knocked down by a speeding train.

The killing of the cubs takes the toll of tiger deaths in Maharashtra to 16 this year, according to Delhi- based non-governmental organisation (NGO) Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), and 15, according to Maharashtra forest department records from January 1 to November 15. Between 2014 and 2017, 71 animals were killed due to rail accidents in the state.

Rishikesh Ranjan, general manager, FDCM, said the region from Tadoba to Kanhargaon to Tipeshwar forms an important tiger corridor with 35 big cats regularly moving in this area, also called the ‘tiger superhighway’.

FDCM too will be reaching out the railways, demanding additional mitigation measures for such accidents. “While there are three underpasses, they are proving insufficient. We’ll demand more underpasses and a mechanism to deter animals from approaching tracks,” he said.

“On the one hand, we have a mother who lost three cubs in one go, and on the other the forest department is trying to tranquillise two cubs in Yavatmal. We need more focused efforts to protect the species,” said Nitin Desai, director, central India, WPSI. MUMBAI: A day after Union minister Maneka Gandhi said the Maharashtra forest department had done nothing to rescue the two cubs of slain tigress T-1 aka Avni, a forest patrol said it spotted two 10-month-old cubs in Vihirgaon range of the Pandharkawada forest area in Yavatmal on Thursday morning .

The forest department said it will soon rescue the cubs. “The sighting is a positive indicator for us...all teams have been instructed to follow their movement and tranquillise them,” said AK Misra, principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), state forest department.

Forest officers said camera traps had captured new images of the cubs. “Tigress T-1 was spotted in this very region several times. Within a few hours of spotting the cubs, different teams were deployed to cover that zone for speedy tranquillisation...,” said Sunil Limaye, additional principal chief conservator of forest, Nagpur. “We have kept 20 live baits, trap cages, and 27 mutton pieces...to lure the cubs.”

The forest department has 111 camera traps and 54 pug impression pads across 160 sq km of the forest area with 10 teams monitoring these. Over 200 forest staff including foot patrolling teams, staff from the Special Tiger Protection Force and five veterinarians are searching for the cubs. A night patrolling mobile squad. Teams from the Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai are assisting the rescue team.

Animal welfare groups are sceptical. “There is no proof of what is actually happening within this forest area...if the knowledge of the cubs’ whereabout is with them, tranquillising them should have been done at the earliest,” said Sarita Subramaniam from Earth Brigade Foundation who petitioned to stop T-1’s killing.

A forest officer associated with the rescue operation requesting anonymity said the patrolling team did not spot the cubs but were merely told by locals that they had spotted. Avni was killed by hunter Asghar Ali Khan on November 2.