Tiger dies in trap, another found trapped near Tadoba

TNN | Apr 27, 2012, 01.48AM IST CHANDRAPUR: A tiger died after it was trapped in an iron jaw trap laid by professional trappers in Palasgaon range in the buffer zone of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. Another tiger is still trapped in a nearby snare, but it is alive, said foresters. The dead body of the tiger was discovered by a team of foresters on Thursday evening. One of the forest guards at the spot was also injured when his leg got trapped in a jaw trap while approaching the dead body. The foresters said that the tiger that is still trapped can be heard calling from a distance in Palasgaon range. RFO, Palasgaon Range, Rahul Sorte said that poachers had laid multiple iron jaw traps in compartment no. 559 under Vanmali beat of Palasgaon range on Wednesday night. There is presence of a tigress and a tiger in the area. Both the tigers appear to have been trapped in the jaw traps sometime in the night. One of the two tigers succumbed to its injures, while the other was still trapped when foresters reached the scene on Thursday evening. "The area is frequently patrolled by our forest guards as phase-IV tiger monitoring exercise is underway. Our guards had gone to the area to install camera traps on Wednesday, but they had returned without placing the cameras since the tigress was present in the area. The forest guard again went to the same place on Thursday at around 5pm to install the camera traps. This time he was shocked to find the dead body of a tiger in a jaw trap," said Sorte. He said that the foreleg of the deceased tiger was trapped in the jaw trap. He however did not disclose whether the dead tiger was male or female. Sorte claimed that another tiger is sitting close to the dead body and growling hard. It is likely that this tiger too is trapped in another jaw trap. However, foresters have refrained from approaching this tiger fearing an attack. Tranquillizing experts have been summoned to the spot and an alert has been issued in the district for Baheliya and Bawariya poachers, who have expertise in poaching with jaw traps. Foresters and police department have issued a lookout for traditional medicine sellers, as Baheliya poachers usually enter forest areas in this disguise. Forest guard MB Zade was injured in the evening after his leg got trapped in a jaw trap when a team of forest officers reached the spot. His leg escaped serious injury thanks to the shoes he was wearing. Forest officials expertly removed his leg from the trap, leaving the shoe in the trap. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tiger-dies-in-trap-another-found-trapped-near-Tadoba/articleshow/12887369.cms