Pugmarks Cited At Kelawade

KERI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The nearby village of Anjunem irrigation project witnessed the forest officials come upon big pugmarks of a tiger while they were conducting a wild life census down in the forest of Kelawade. Citing the pugmarks, the forest officials said that it was speculated that the pugmarks belong to a giant tiger which was slowly advancing towards the village of Kelawade.

Reportedly, the village of Kelawade where the pugmarks were cited happens to be a submerged village owing to the ongoing Anjunem dam project. As soon as the wildlife census began in the area, the volunteers of the dam project and the forest officials came upon giant pugmarks in the area. Beside the pugmarks of the big cat, pugmarks of a cub were also cited which depicts that the tiger is not moving alone but with its cub.

The forest officials recalled September 2009 where the villagers of Ponsule-Dhangarwada have reported that a cow of Sai Kalu Pingale was killed by a tigress not very far from the Anjunem irrigation. The left over pugmarks were of a tigress from Mhadei wildlife sanctuary. Following that the Keri forest officials confirmed the killing of the cow by the tigress. Way back in April 2009, Subhash Henrique the sub divisional forest officer of Ponda had reported his team of forest officials citing big pugmarks which belonged to a cub and its mother tigress. When asked about the recent pugmarks, the RFO (Reserved Force Officer) Deepak Betkikar told the media that the forest officers are keeping a trail on pugmarks and have also traced the pugmarks with plaster of paris which shall be now be send over to the inspection labs for further confirmation.