‘Homesick’ tiger to be kept under 24×7 surveillance

BHOPAL - The “homesick” tiger that strayed from Panna tiger reserve and was found in Tendukheda forest region of Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh district will now be kept under round-the-clock surveillance, an official said Sunday.

The forest officials have deployed four tracking teams for a 24×7 surveillance of the tiger that had disrupted Madhya Pradesh forest department’s plans to encourage tiger breeding in the Panna National Park.

“The step has been taken so that it may not move out again for its original home 400 km away in Pench reserve. Four tracking teams have been constituted to keep watch on its movements round the clock as the ‘homing instinct’ might drive the tiger once again towards its original habitat,” Panna National Park director R. Sriniwas Murthy said.

The “homing instinct” is the ability of an animal to perceive direction - beyond the usual human senses. It helps the lost animal to return to its home or owners. According to experts, this ability can be attributed to the animal’s sensitivity to the earth’s magnetic field.

“The tiger was brought to Panna on Nov 14 to mate with two tigresses translocated to revive the big cat population in Panna but he moved out of the reserve by Nov 25 and remained untraceable for a month, leaving wildlife scientists baffled,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) R.S. Negi said.

“It crossed hills, fields, human habitations and rivers and was moving towards his home at Pench before it was located and trapped after being tranquilised.”