Forest department uses tech to track tiger, ropes in Pune-based experts to tranquilise it

The Rajamahendravaram Wildlife Management authorities have adopted state-of-the-art technologies, including the deployment of thermal drones and 4G cameras, to scan the forest and landscape that the transient tiger has been frequenting for the past fortnight, with the intention to tranquilise it. The thermal drones will scan the landscape at night to trace the movements of the tiger. 

The three-year-old male tiger, said to be a native of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, entered the Godavari region by swimming the Pranahita, a tributary of Godavari river, and entered the Papikonda Hill Range in the Eastern Ghats. 

The tiger was sighted crossing the national highway before entering the Diwan Cheruvuru Reserve Forest on Tuesday night. It was futher reported that it reportedly entered the crop fields in Pidimgoyyi area on the outskirts of Rajamahendravaram city on Wednesday night. 

Over the past 24 hours, it has walked nearly 10 kilometres, and is said to be inching closer to the Soodhikonda Hill Range that is connected to the Papikonda Hill Range in the Maredumilli area. However, it has not preyed on any cattle in the past 24 hours.

Scanning landscape

Speaking to The Hindu, Rajamahendravaram Chief Conservator of Forest B.N.N. Murthy said; “We have deployed thermal drones, 4G cameras, web-enabled camera traps to monitor the landscape the tiger is covering.”

“A five-member expert team from the Pune-based RESQ Charitable Trust will arrive on Thursday to assist the rescue committee constituted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority in tranquilising the tiger”, added Mr. Murthy. The RESQ Trust works with the Forest Department in various States. 

The Pune-based expert team is equipped with essential equipment, customised gadgets, sophisticated tranquilising equipment and drugs to facilitate safe rescue operations. Led by District Forest Officer B. Prabhakar Rao, at least 100 personnel from the Forest Department have been tracking the movements of the tiger in the Godavari region, since it swam on the night of January 31.