Bharatpur tiger identified as T-7

JAIPUR: The male tiger now at Keoladeo in Bharatpur is the same one that attacked forest ranger Daulat Singh Shaktawat on August 20 on the periphery of the Ranthambore National Park.

Forest department officials said its pictures have been taken at the bird sanctuary with the help of trap cameras. "After comparing the pictures with that of T-7, the tiger that attacked Shaktawat, we have come to this conclusion," officials said.

After the attack T-7 had made its way through Bharatpur up to Beri village near the Mathura refinery, they said. After staying for some time it headed back for Kailadevi.

"However, on reaching Keoladeo it found good forest cover and made a halt there. Last night it killed a cow," officials said.

The identification brings to rest the controversy that there were three different tigers that strayed into Madhya Pradesh, Bharatpur and at the Mathura refinery.

"The one that strayed into Dholpur, Mohan', is now at Madhya Pradesh. The one that had strayed into Mathura refinery is now back at Keoladeo," officials said. However, there is still a third place in Kota where a tiger from Ranthambore had strayed a long time back and is still there.

Officials said efforts will be made to trap the tiger at Bharatpur so that it can be relocated to Sariska.

"The Big Cat had been roaming around Bharatpur so it is best to relocate it to Sariska," officials said.

Currently, the forest department is trying to get the permission for this from the Wildlife Institute of India, the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the ministry of forest and environment.

"We are not making any efforts to tranquillise the tiger now as it has travelled a lot and must be tired. Tranquillising it now might be risky. We will let it rest for some time to gain its strength. In the meantime we might get the go ahead from the Centre and only after that we will relocate the tiger to Sariska," officials said.

Read more: Bharatpur tiger identified as T-7 - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Bharatpur-tiger-identified-as-T-7-/articleshow/6744374.cms#ixzz12J4zmw7Z