Koraput: A Royal Bengal Tiger (RBT) has been sighted in the Semiliguda forest range in Odisha’s Koraput forest division, prompting the forest department to step up surveillance and issue an advisory asking residents of nearby villages to remain alert.
Koraput Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sidharth Jain said the district had no resident tiger population and the origin of the animal was being investigated.
As the tiger was not fitted with a radio collar, it was difficult to establish where it had come from, he said.
Koraput has no tiger population. Where this animal has come from is being investigated. As it is not fitted with a radio collar, tracing its origin is difficult. However, the animal has been sighted, and its pugmarks have also been found. We are taking all precautionary measures to ensure the safety of people as well as the animal, Jain said.
The forest department has initiated precautionary measures in accordance with guidelines issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Awareness messages are being disseminated through public announcement systems in nearby villages, urging residents to remain cautious, avoid venturing into vulnerable forest areas and refrain from approaching or disturbing the animal.
Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) and field staff have been deployed to monitor the tiger’s movement, identify its trails and map its locations to prevent any untoward incident, the DFO said.
We have also appealed to residents to follow the instructions of forest personnel and immediately inform the nearest forest officials if they spot the tiger, notice its pugmarks or observe any unusual movement, he added.