Elephant stuck while crossing rail fence at Nagarahole Tiger Reserve; rescued
Mysuru, Jan 5: An elephant, which was stuck while crossing a rail fence in the Veeranahosahalli range of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve near here, was rescued on Sunday, official sources said.
Forest officials deployed earth-moving equipment to demolish one of the cement beam pillar barriers to which the rail fence was wedged. After the elephant was freed, it made its way into the forest, officials said.
On learning that the elephant was caught in a predicament, the forest team rushed to the spot where the tusker was trapped between pillar barriers and was unable to lift its hind legs over the rail fence, they said.
According to forest officials, the radio-collared tusker was aged around 30 years and its movement was being tracked.
The rail fences are installed as a measure to prevent elephants from crossing into villages bordering forest areas.
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HC seeks govt reply on tourist vehicles blocking tigress' path in Maharashtra sanctuary
Nagpur (PTI): The Bombay High Court has taken a dim view of an incident where safari vehicles carrying tourists obstructed the movement of a tigress and her cubs in Maharashtra's Umred-Pauni-Karhandla Sanctuary on New Year's eve.
Justices Nitin Sambre and Vrushali Joshi of the HC's Nagpur bench on Monday issued notice to the state's principal chief conservator of forests and sought a detailed affidavit on action taken and preventive measures.
The bench will hear the plea on Wednesday.
In the viral videos of the December 31, 2024 incident, safari vehicles are seen crowding around the tigress, identified as F-2, and her five cubs from both sides of a road in the buffer zone of the sanctuary here to help tourists capture their photos and videos.
The HC took suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the videos and news reports on the incident.
The state forest department on Monday suspended four drivers and guides involved in the incident for three months.
A fine of Rs 25,000 has also been imposed on the gypsy SUV drivers, while nature guides have been fined Rs 1,000 each. Besides, cases have been registered against them under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Pench Tiger Reserve (Nagpur) deputy director Prabhu Nath Shukla in a release said the tourists violated the sanctuary's rule by blocking the path of the tigress F2 and her five cubs with multiple safari vehicles at Gothangaon in Kuhi wildlife range.
Tourists involved in this incident have been permanently banned from future visits to the sanctuary and a committee, headed by the deputy director, Bor Tiger Reserve, has been constituted to recommend measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Shukla stated that field officers and staff have been instructed to increase regular patrolling along safari routes to prevent such incidents. Additionally, special meetings and workshops are being organised for nature guides and gypsy drivers to raise awareness and sensitivity toward ecotourism.
