On Saturday, the Rajasthan government’s Forest Department sounded a ‘Red Alert’ on all state reserves, sanctuaries and parks as incidents of hunting, poaching and animal traps have come to the fore.
The order comes against the backdrop of a camera trap footage showing a Ranthambore tiger, T-108, with a wire snare around its neck.
Under the ‘Red Alert’, all forest officials have been directed to intensify search operations and seek local police assistance to nab hunters and criminals.
The department has cancelled leaves of all field officers, and directions have been issued for effective patrolling against illegal activities in protected areas.
The order said reports had earlier been received from Ranthambore Tiger Reserve about animals such as cows and buffaloes getting caught in traps laid by hunters.
“Recently, five hunters were arrested in Mount Abu for hunting a sambar deer, looking to which red alert is announced till February 2021,” it stated.
The sub-adult Ranthambore tiger T-108 was spotted twice on camera traps 12.50 am on Thursday and 6 am on Saturday, with a wire around his neck which looks like a trap.
The department sought permission to tranquillise the big cat from the NTCA on Friday. The tiger was tranquillised at 11 am on Saturday, and released in the wild at 11.45 am after removing the wire, officials said.
