Evidence of presence of tiger found in Choral forest

PTI | Feb 6, 2012, 07.14PM IST INDORE: Initial survey and evidence collected by the forest department have indicated presence of a tiger in Choral forest, spread over 10 sq km area in Barwah-Devas-Indore region, official sources today said. A ten-member team from district forest department, led by Sub-Divisional forest officer Abhay Jain, found carcasses of two bulls with bite-marks on the neck, and pugmarks of a sole tiger, in the range of Bagoda, Pitambari and Naniya, sources said here. "The team has not sighted the tiger so far, but villagers have claimed to have seen it," an official said, adding "we do not attribute credence to that unless it is sighted by the experts". A cave, suspected to be the tiger's den, was also seen,sources said. The pugmarks were estimated to be fortnight-old. The area is home to wild animals such as cheetal and neelgai. Wild Life Institute of India had earlier indicated presence of at least five to seven big cats in the Choral forest, the sources said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Evidence-of-presence-of-tiger-found-in-Choral-forest/articleshow/11780439.cms