Tiger C1 leaves Marathwada after a week's stay, now in Washim

Aurangabad: Scores of villagers from parts of Hingoli district as well as authorities from the forest department heaved a sigh of relief as the tiger C1 has left the farm areas of Marathwada after staying in the region for almost a week.

As per the location traced from the radio collar tied around the young male tiger’s neck on Tuesday morning, the animal has entered Washim district.

Hingoli district forest officer Keshav Wable said that the area where the tiger has moved to is a relatively safe place as it is away from human settlements.

“The tiger may head towards Dnyanganga wildlife sanctuary from Buldhana district or Katepurna wildlife sanctuary from Akola district. We feel it may eventually move towards Melghat tiger reserve, where the tiger could end his journey in search of ideal territory,” said Wable.

Forest department officials said there was no need to tranquilize the tiger as it is not exhibiting any behaviour that could be called ‘problematic’.

“Barring a chance encounter with a few locals in Sengaon, the tiger has not attacked any human. The tiger is expected to settle shortly after finding its desired territory,” said Wable.

Earlier, on Sunday, a woman farm worker, identified as Rekha Khillari, in Sukali village claimed to have spotted C1 in her farm located a few kilometres from the village. “The woman said she spotted the tiger in the morning. The tiger disappeared after lingering in the farm for a few seconds,” said forest department authorities.

Named C1, the tiger is roaming for the last few months and is expected to complete a 300km journey. “The tiger roamed in parts of Hingoli and Sengaon talukas before entering Washim district. Considering its journey since the beginning, it is now on the verge of completing a 300km journey. The Wildlife Institute of India is keeping a track on the movement of the tiger and the distance travelled,” said Wable.

The tiger, which has been spotted in the trap camera set up by the forest department, has so far roamed parts of Telangana, Tipeshwar wildlife sanctuary, Painganga wildlife sanctuary and Isapur wildlife sanctuary in Vidarbha, before entering Hingoli district via Pusad by end of last month.

Earlier, authorities from the forest department had distributed over 10,000 pamphlets in Hingoli district, appealing to the villagers not to panic if they spotted the tiger and take necessary precautions. “We had also put banners at different places in Hingoli district to spread awareness. Teams of the forest department were deployed in the rural areas to give moral support to the villagers,” said authorities.

As per official record, the tiger was last spotted in Marathwada way back in 1972. An incident of tiger hunting was recorded at Gautala Autramghat sanctuary more than four decades ago. No instance of spotting or killing a tiger was reported thereafter before Tiger C1 entered Hingoli district.