Traces of tiger presence in Kuldiha

Nilagiri (Baleswar), Mar 13:

The ongoing wildlife census in Kuldiha sanctuary has found the presence of a Royal Bengal tiger(RBT).

“For the first time, we have found the pug marks of a Royal Bengal tiger in the core forest area of the sanctuary”, Rabindra Mohapatra, ranger of Kuldiha forest range said.

He said there was no trace of any tiger in the sanctuary during the tiger census in 2010. The forest staff had then found the presence of 12 leopards only.

Mohapatra said the forest staff, during the nine-day census, have adopted several methods for correct assessment of the number of tigers and other wild predators in the sanctuary.

The forest staff have dug out a stretch of two-metre wide common passage of the wild animals inside the sanctuary and kept the upper portion soft enough to track the pug marks and ascertain the age of the predatory animals.

They have also been keeping track of the herbivorous animals along the 4-km stretch of transit line from 6 AM to 8 AM.

Besides, collection of dry excreta from several areas of the sanctuary is on to ascertain the number of herbivorous species, Mohapatra added.

He said in the nine-day census, the count of tiger and other predatory animals would continue for six days while in the remaining three days, counting of herbivorous animals would be taken up.