STR's explanation is that the tiger had “turned aggressive" and “showed a tendency to stray". But the fact is that it was well within the forest limits. Wildlife protection rules say no animal — far less an endangered species like the Bengal tiger — can be captured from the forest unless it is sick or injured and in need of treatment. The forest department knows this but some STR officials baited and trapped a tiger in its lair.
State chief wildlife warden S B Mondal said: “STR was denied permission when they sought it on Friday. They still went ahead in spite of being asked not to capture the tiger. We will inquire into it."
According to the STR, the tiger was caught in Mollakhali-Kumirmari in the dark hours of Sunday and will be released in Baghmara.
TOI found out that a fisherman, M Sardar, was fishing illegally in the forest area when it was attacked by a tiger. The animal was seen moving near the fence, but never entered the village area. On the contrary, the fisherman had intruded into the forest.
Wildlife lovers are incensed. “It is like arresting a man on suspicion that he could be a potential thief. If so, the forest department can capture all 30-35 tigers and prevent straying," said Mrinal Chatterjee of Indian Climbers and Nature Lovers, one of the oldest wildlife protection NGOs in the city. FOREST LAW ‘Tiger has supreme right in forest area'
Kolkata: Wildlife lovers are incensed after Sunderbans Tiger Reserve trapped and captured a Bengal tiger without permission.
STR field director Subrat Mukherjee, who led the capture, said: “Since most tigers are invariably captured on Saturdays or Sundays, we take post-facto permission. On the basis of telephonic permission the tigers are captured. Of the 25 tigers we have captured so far, 24 were on the basis of post-facto permission. In this case, it will be the same." But the chief wildlife warden clearly said that STR had been asked not to capture the tiger. Read the full report here.
Source: Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay, TNN, Kolkata.
