Stray Orang NP tigress creates havoc at Rowta in Assam

The tigress sneaking out from Rajib Gandhi Orang National Park creating havoc in and around Rowta area in Udalguri district since November 11 has been resented by people as well as wildlife loving people of the district.The tigress has already killed five cows and six numbers pf pings at Borobazar village near Rowta town. People are terrified because of its presence in the locality for more than a month as they have been compelled to stay inside their houses during evening times not to speak of venturing into their paddy fields.The frustrated villagers might kill the tigress if not send back to its habitat urgently.It needs mentioning that another female tiger with two cubs was poisoned to death in the village situated close to the Orang NP last year on January 2.Another tiger from the national park was spotted at nearby Badagaon Majuli during last week of January last year showing regular movements of tigers from Orang NP.Forest department or NTCA could not track the tiger but estimated that it had gone north towards Bhutan or Arunachal Pradesh after examination of its pug marks.According to MK Sarma,FO, Dhansiri Forest Division,Udalguri forest department has taken all possible steps locally to track the tigress which is identified as No.F 23 of Orang National Park as seen from the camera trapping photos dated November 25.Three cages along with baits were placed at three spots in the area on November 15 to capture it alive.But the tigress evaded the traps.Again on December 12 recently,another cow was eaten by the tigress indicating its presence in the area.The incident created panic among villagers.When asked on their failure to track or capture the tigress,DFO Sarma said that three groups with four forest personnel in each group have been working day and night but the tigress had found it most suitable to hide in the nearby JFMC forest. "Two domestic Kunki elephants from Orang National Parks have also been pressed into service to track the tigress",Sarma said.It is also learned that Dr. Daoharu Boro,a veterinary expert from CWRC,Kokrajhar has been working hard to tranquilize the tiger for the last two weeks.He has been observing any possible movement of the tigress from the top of the three masangs constructed by the forest department."The tigress is very clever not to venture into the cages moreover she deliberately avoided the cage doors while trying to hunt the baits.She must be a tigress experienced with cages or traps",said DFO Sarma.

Dipen Boro,social activist and vice president of ABSU central committee,who is a resident of Rowta area said that Assam forest department deploy highest level expertise and mechanism to track the tigress immediately and to push or trans locate it to Orang NP. Otherwise she might be killed by antisocial elements or even by irate villagers carrying bad names to Udalguri and Darrang districts."The villagers cannot wait for a indefinite period.State forest department and NTCA must pay attention to the safety of the tigress as well as villagers immediately",Boro said.