NAGPUR: The one most delighted with the rescue and release of the Katlabodi tigress is hunter-turned tiger conservationist Chandrakant Deshmukh, an ex-malgujar (landlord) of Bandhara and Ghorpad in Kalmeshwar tehsil.
Bandhara, 40km from Nagpur, is a place surrounded by thick forests. The tigress fell into a 35-feet-deep dry well on February 7 and was released after eight days in its natural habitat but at location being kept secret by the forest officials.
NAGPUR: The one most delighted with the rescue and release of the Katlabodi tigress is hunter-turned tiger conservationist Chandrakant Deshmukh, an ex-malgujar (landlord) of Bandhara and Ghorpad in Kalmeshwar tehsil.
Bandhara, 40km from Nagpur, is a place surrounded by thick forests. The tigress fell into a 35-feet-deep dry well on February 7 and was released after eight days in its natural habitat but at location being kept secret by the forest officials.
The tragedy left wild lovers flaggerbasted but Deshmukh knew that it was an accident waiting to happen ever since he heard about the presence of wildcats in the Katlabodi region. He had even warned the forest officials. Seven days before the incident, Deshmukh saw the animal near Murli village.
As a child, the 62-year-old Deshmukh has seen a number of tigers in Bandhara-Katlabodi. The last he saw in the area was in 1978. He is now delighted that they have returned to an old habitat. Villagers told TOI that currently there are four wildcats in the area. Apart from the tigress and its mate, there are two sub-adult cubs (more than two years) too.
"Now, I am going around and appealing to villagers to protect the tigers," says Deshmukh. Since he is a respected man, Deshmukh is more heard than the forest officials.
Nothing could have been a better experience on Thursday to have a tiger and jungle trail with Deshmukh in the 150 sq km Bandhara-Katlabodi forest encompassing a dozen sensitive villages in Kondhali and Kalmeshwar forest ranges under the Nagpur Division.
A 50-km trail with Deshmukh around Gumthala, Lonara, Shirpur, Bhuyari, Ladai, Ghorpad, Murli and Satnavri forests - all within a shouting distance from the city - is so mystifying that there is no doubt why tigers couldn't claim the territory. The self-styled wildlife guru knows the area, which is a mix of narrow tarred and bullock-cart roads, like the back of his palm.
The trail started from Selu, but good quality forest can be seen on the outskirts of Lonara, where we also saw a gang of eight Pardhis on three bikes with weapons and bamboo cages returning after a hunt.
PD Dhangar, a villager who knew them, said the Pardhis from Gondkhairi village are regulars and foresters are aware of their illegal activities. "They don't target big carnivores now," he said.
Dhangar also showed a small hillock where he had sighted a male tiger when he was returning from his farm in the evening. This was on February 9, just two days after the tigress was rescued from the well.
The forest landscape amid green farms and surrounding villages is mesmerizing. It has all the ingredients of a tiger habitat like caves on hills, grass, water, prey base, including cattle for the tigers, to stay on. The area is so beautiful that forest and abandoned farms combine to make it look like a dense jungle.
Although there is huge biotic pressure on the forests for fuel wood, grazing and minor forest produce (MFP) extraction, the area here has an immense potential for tigers. "The need of the hour is to put some stringent wildlife management in place," says Deshmukh.
"Tigers had been coexisting in the area before they were hunted out in 1978. Bazargaon was a shooting block during the British era and had a record of 8-10 tigers. I don't see why tigers and humans can't coexist here again. It's possible if people are taken into confidence," says Deshmukh.
Villagers of Katlabodi and Ladai echoed the same feelings when they said that cattle kill and crop damage compensation are not settled early. "Half of the crop is consumed by wild animals. Officials take too long to pay damages. Yet, we have been good to the forest department by not harming wildlife and forests," says Ramdas Salam of Ladai village.
Although the forest has shrunk due to expansion of villages and growing population, at many places it remains intact. "There is some truth in what Salam says. Else, why would tigers return here," asked Deshmukh who feels that the tigers must have crossed over from Bor Sanctuary in Wardha district.
Going by the age of the cubs, Deshmukh says the family of four would have travelled together and must have even managed to cross the busy NH6 (Nagpur-Amravati road). "It's quite possible as there are thick forests on the opposite side of Katlabodi too," he said.
Another hidden quality Deshmukh mentioned about the Katlabodi forests was calcium. "The grass here is rich in calcium and, hence, sambars and chitals here are healthy and strong. If you see their horns, they are symmetrical," he said.
To prove his point, Deshmukh also showed a scenic spot called Pandhrapani near Ghorpad. "Do you know why this place is called so," he asked. He revealed when water flows into the nullah, it has a white layer (calcium) on it. The area once was a tiger hot spot.
Some patches in the forests are such that even rays of the sun fail to penetrate the canopy. At one of these spots, a big male deer was sighted and it stood there for a long time. Two more chitals in the forests indicated good prey base.
Learning fast from the Katlabodi tragedy, the foresters have swung into action. Forester GG Khode was seen marking his territory on a big tree in Satnavri forest. "We have launched a similar exercise in the range," he said. The presence of the tigers have also forced the staff to move into the forest for protection.
"We are trying to trace out pugmarks and any kill made by the released tigress," Khode said. Till Thursday afternoon, although the forest staff said there was no trace of the tigress, Kisna Bhalavi of Katlabodi quoted one Anil Kalokar saying he had sighted a tiger at 7.30am on the village outskirts.
Katlabodi sarpanch Prabhakar Sathe claimed it must be the same tigress that had been rescued from the well. "We learnt from the field staff that the tigress was released here," Sathe said.
Deshmukh appealed to the people to save tigers. "Poaching is not the issue here, but poisoning is," he fears. The forest officials will have to settle early claims. He also felt that the area should be declared as a community conservation reserve where wildlife protection will be the joint responsibility of the people and the department.
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