IAF MI-17 helicopter transports Pench tigress from MP's Sukatra airstrip to Rajasthan
Seoni (PTI): A tigress that had been eluding the authorities of Pench Reserve in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni for the last 24 days was captured and successfully airlifted to Rajasthan for relocation in an Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter on Sunday, officials said.
The big cat was surrounded by elephants several times from morning to afternoon, before being tranquillised and brought to Sukatra airstrip here in a rescue vehicle, an official said.
The Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter airlifted the tigress, along with the cage, to Rajasthan's Vishdhari Tiger Reserve at around 6 pm, he said.
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Pench Tiger Reserve wildlife veterinarian Dr Akhilesh Mishra, assistant director Gurleen Kaur, Rukhad ranger Lokesh Pawar, WCT wildlife veterinarian Dr Prashant Deshmukh, forest officials from Rajasthan, and a team of experts were on board the helicopter to ensure the three-year-old tigress' safe journey, the official said.
"Pench tigress PN-224 was captured from the wild and airlifted from Sukatra airstrip to Rajasthan. This relocation will not only increase the tiger population in Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve but will also help strengthen genetic diversity among different tiger landscapes. This operation is an excellent example of scientific wildlife management and technical prowess," Pench Tiger Reserve deputy director Rajneesh Singh said.
"India has achieved another major success in wildlife conservation and inter-state coordination. The most significant aspect of this entire operation was the safe transport of the tigress to her new home via an Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter. This relocation operation was conducted systematically and scientifically for the past month," Singh informed.
The authorities at Pench Tiger Reserve utilised modern AI-based camera traps and motion sensor cameras to identify and monitor the tigress's movements, with approximately 50 cameras set up in the area to accurately monitor the big cat's health and behaviour, the official said.
The successful operation was facilitated by the unique coordination between the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Forest Departments, with Rajasthan's Chief Conservator of Forests, Suganaram Jat, and veterinarian Dr Tejinder camping in Pench for the past eight days.
The entire process was completed under the guidance of Pench Tiger Reserve field director Devprasad J and deputy director Rajneesh Kumar Singh, officials said.
The complex process of tranquillising the tigress was carried out under the leadership of Dr Akhilesh Mishra and Dr Prashant Deshmukh (Wildlife Conservation Trust), with the assistance of experts from Jabalpur Veterinary College and field biologists, they said, adding that assistant director Gurleen Kaur led the mission during the transfer.
The contribution of field staff from the Kurai and Rukhad ranges of Pench was crucial to the success of this mission, as they patrolled daily from 6 am to 6 pm to monitor the tigress' movement, they said.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
