DEHRADUN: A tigress who got caught in a trap laid out by poachers in the Kalagarh range of the world-famous Corbett Tiger Reserve will now have to live with a snare buried in her body.
According to a report prepared by renowned veterinarians of the country, if the tigress is operated on at the moment, her life may be in danger, Dr Sameer Sinha, Chief Wildlife Warden, Uttarakhand Forest Department, said.
"The tigress has been kept at the Dhela Rescue, and Rehabilitation Centre under the supervision of doctors," Corbett Director Dr Dhiraj Pandey told the newspaper.
Corbett Tiger Reserve located in Ramnagar, Nainital, is known for the free movement of tigers. In April, Pictures of a 'camera trap' revealed that a snare was stuck to the tigress' abdomen, after which it was brought to the Dhela centre.
In the rescue center, the injured tigress gave birth to three cubs in July but a few days later, two of them died, and the tigress ate them. The third was eaten by her, too.
Nothing can be said about when the tigress will be released from the rescue center to the forest area, Dr Sinha said, adding that the tigress is completely healthy now and living a normal life now.
"The tigress is around seven to eight years old. Whether the tigress will be released to its natural habitat or not will be decided at the highest level," Dr Dhiraj Pandey said.
The committee that examined the tigress included Dr Pradeep Malik, former senior professor of Wildlife Institute of India, Dr K K Das, HOD, Department of Surgery, GB Pant University, Dr Parag Nigam, HOD, Department of Wildlife Health Management, Wildlife Institute of India and Dr R Malik, committee member of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).