A 15-month-old female tiger cub was run over by a vehicle on the outskirts of Chandrapur near the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. The cub managed to crawl around 30 metres into the foliage after being hit by an unknown vehicle. The cub's body was semi-decomposed indicating the accident took place at least two to three days ago. Forest officials found the carcass in the forest beside road no. 476 under the forest development corporation of Maharashtra, Junona range, on Thursday .
Corporation official Sudhakar Dole said the cub suffered multiple injuries including a fractured limb. “There were signs of it being dragged some distance with the vehicle,“ Dole said.
It was the fourth instance of a carnivore's death in a road accident in Chandrapur in the last five months. A full-grown female leopard died in an accident on Junona-Karwa road in Ballarpur range and its body was discovered on December 19 last year. The death of a female tiger cub on the outskirts of Chandrapur near the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger reserve highlights the rising number of deaths of wild animals on the road that goes through the forest.
A sub-adult leopard was knocked dead by a speeding vehicle on Umri Potdar-Maonra road and its body discovered on January 11. Also, the carcass of a female tiger was discovered on Mudholi-Katwal road on Moharli range on January 1, but the forest department had ascribed her death to a territorial fight.
The Junona range has been in news for poaching and lack of protection, resulting in several large carnivore deaths in recent years.
Honorary wildlife warden Bandu Dhotre said the Junona forest is an important tiger corridor on the southern side of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger reserve. “This pristine forest is rich with herbivores and predator population thanks to ample water,“ Dhotre said. “However, there's no control over vehicular movement on the Junona-Gilbili-Pombhurna road that cuts through the forest,“ Dhotre said.
“The road is frequented by wildlife buffs and even motorists wanting to avoid highway traffic. With no speed breakers and warning signposts about wildlife presence, vehicle speeds are high on the stretch,“ he added. Asked about the unchecked traffic on the road, Dole said the forest department has directed the PWD to build speed breakers on the road. “We've started measures to restrain traffic movement on the Junona-Gilbili road. As a first step, a check post has been put up at Junona. It will be manned by the forest department and record every vehicle passing on the road,“ Dole said.
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