PARALAKHEMUNDI: What happens to be the reason of rejoicing for wildlife enthusiasts, has stirred the tranquility in a cluster of villages of Gajapati district following the sighting of a tiger in Mahendra forest area. The big cat, captured on camera trap deployed by the Forest department, has now attracted a slew of safety and awareness measures by the Paralakhemundi divisional forest office.
On October 18, the tiger reportedly dragged a cow from a shed in Santoshpur village within the Mahendra-Narayanpur forest range in Rayagada block of the district. Narasingha Naik, owner of the cow, was shocked to find the half-eaten remains upon his return.
“I was away from the village since the previous night after tying the cow in the shed. When I returned, I saw dragging signs which led me to a bush near a nullah. There I saw the half-eaten body of my cow, besides the pug marks of a tiger,” he stated.
As the forest officials were informed, they started the search for the animal the next day. The pug marks indicated the presence of a large cat. Assistant conservator of forests, Paralakhemundi, Ashok Behera confirmed, “We collected the pug marks and sent the impression marks to the forest directorate to identify the animal.”
Divisional forest officer S Anand Kumar said five teams have been formed to monitor the tiger’s movements, track poachers in the area and ensure the safety of villagers. Public awareness drives have been initiated, advising people not to venture out at night and to keep their cattle in closed enclosures for safety.
Even as the investigation was on, the tiger reportedly returned to the area on October 19 night, causing further alarm among villagers. The Forest department deployed five trap cameras at Santoshpur village to gather evidence of the tiger’s presence but the images captured have not yet been released to the public.
The initial assumption is that the tiger stands approximately five feet in height and measures seven feet in length. The Forest department is actively working to ensure public safety and track the tiger’s movements, Anand Kumar added.
The DFO said the tiger most likely entered the Narayanpur forest range from Andhra Pradesh. He urged his staff to exercise caution while performing their duties and mentioned there have been no reported attacks by the tiger, except for the incident in Santoshpur.RCCF SK Swain confirmed the preliminary investigation results, stating that the tiger had entered Gajapati district limits from Andhra Pradesh.
Compensation will be provided to the victim, Narasingha, as per existing norms. To track the tiger, an additional 12 cameras have been installed in the area, and 30 forest staff members are engaged in monitoring its movements and ensuring the safety of both the tiger and the local human and domestic animal populations.
Tracing the royal marks
Forest records show no historical presence of tigers in Gajapati district
Leopards have been sporadically spotted instead
Residents of Mohana and Kashinagar have long claimed the presence of tigers
In July 2022, a tiger was sighted in Jodipathar village in the district
The Forest department identified it as a wild cat but later claimed it was a leopard from Lakhari sanctuary
Similar claims made by Chandragiri forest officials who encountered tiger and cub pugmarks in the sanctuary
In July 2023, tigers were spotted in Bhaleri and Meturu villages in AP, Budura, Bathada, Idudi, Kashingar, and other areas in Odisha along the Vamsadhra river