MP: Panna Tiger Reserve faces problem from cattle

Panna (MP), Aug 20: The Panna Tiger Reserve management is fraught with the problem of a large number of ailing cattle left behind by people ousted from three of 13 villages that are to be cleared in the area.

Reserve sources said that tribals of Peepar Tola and Suraj Pura have resettled but left behind bovines useless to them. If the cattle are hunted by wildlife then there is an apprehension that diseases would spread.

''The bovines are being trapped and sent to cowsheds at Pawai and Katni. More than 200 animals have been sent,'' said Reserve Deputy Director A K Nagar.

Forest officials pointed out that the gender balance of tigers tilted in favour of males at the reserve spread over approximately 545 sq km. A tigress died last year and investigation revealed that she consumed meat contaminated with insecticides.

As per the Dehradun-based Wildife Institute of India's 2006 census in the reserve and 184 sq km of forest, the tiger population was estimated to be 24 as opposed to 34 in 2004. The reserve is also home to leopards, bears, hyenas, sambhar, neelgai, chausinga, cheetal and chinkara. The past half decade witnessed a spurt in the number of sambhar, neelgai and chital.

UNI