SIRSI: The tiger which mauled a woman labourer to death at Pandarahalli in Chikkamagaluru district was captured and released into Bhimgad Reserve Forest in Khanapur taluk, adjoining Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve (DATR) in the district.
People, especially in Joida taluk which comes under DATR, are worried as the tiger may enter the DATR area. “We are already spending sleepless nights due to attacks from elephants and bears from Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve,” they say.
The Forest Department allayed the fears of the people as the tiger, which is 3-4 years old, is not a man-eater and will not enter human habitat. It will find sufficient prey. The density of tigers is around four in DATR-Bhimgad forests, it said.
Conservator of Forests and Director of DATR Srinivasulu Krishnamurthy told Express that the tiger carrying capacity is 10 per 100 sq km in the twin forests against the 14 per 100 sq km in Bandipur tiger reserve.
The average is 4.5 tigers per 100 sq km in the combined forests of Dandeli-Anshi and Bhimgad. The satisfactory density of tiger is estimated at around 35 in the adjoining forests, he added.
He stressed that in the twin adjoining forests, predators are less and there is enough prey density for the tiger to hunt. A change of territory would not lead to a conflict and in a few days the animal will settle down, he added. He also said that the movement of the tiger would be constantly monitored and the department would take up urgent actions to combat any eventualities.
Environmentalist Panduranga Hegde of Sirsi said the tiger’s hunting nature could different as it is out of its territorial map.
He suggested relocation of the tiger to any zoo or tiger safari area as it may have a conflict with local tigers and adjustability may become difficult.
Former chairman of Western Ghats Task Force Anant Hegde Ashisara felt that a detailed study should have been made before translocating the tiger into the forest.
The tiger should have been relocated in Bhadra or Bandipura Tiger Reservation Sanctuaries, Ashisara observed.