Tiger strays into Kerwah residential area in Bhopal

Bhopal, Feb 3 (PTI) A tiger from Ratapani sanctuary inMadhya Pradesh''s Raisen district has strayed into the Kerwaharea situated on the outskirts of the state capital, posing athreat to humans, forest officials said today.

Pugmarks of a more than four-year-old tiger has beenfound in Kerwah area on January 31, Area Forest Range OfficerSudhir Singh told PTI here.

The tiger had killed a cow in Kerwah jungle area onJanuary 31 and added that around 100 forest officials weremonitoring the jungles on the Kerwah-Ratapani tract, he said.

The big cat was sighted on Sunday by an advocate inKerwah area which has human habitation around it. Advocate ASoni, who captured the big cat photo on his cell phone, passedon the information to the forest officials

This is not the first time that a big cat from Ratapanihas entered Kerwah area having human habitation. In 2007, atigress along with her two cubs had strayed in Kerwah andKalisot area, on the outskirts of Bhopal, they said.

Ratapani, spread over an area of 435 sq km is said to behaving around 10 big cats.