[ Prafulla Kaman ]
RUKSIN, 24 Jan: Foresters of the Jonai forest range in Assam claimed to have spotted pugmarks of a Royal Bengal tiger in Kobu Chapori, the proposed reserve forest (RF) situated near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary.
The forest range officer of Jonai said that foresters spotted pugmarks of an adult Royal Bengal tiger during routine patrolling in Kobu Chapori island, which is adjacent to Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) of Arunachal, recently.
It may be recalled that during the last week of December last year, the movement of an adult Royal Bengal tiger in the Mebo RF under the Pasighat forest division was reported. The officials, following a report of an eyewitness, visited the spot at the Old Komolighat road and confirmed the movement of a tiger there.
Earlier, in 2017, movement of an adult Royal Bengal tiger at the Poba RF in Assam and Daying Ering WLS of Arunachal was reported by forest and wildlife officials.
A senior forest official of the state said the reserved forests in the Assam-Arunachal boundary area and adjacent Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary are not identified as a tiger habitat, but male tigers visit the area from time to time in search of mates.
“Roaming of big cat species, including leopards, jungle cats and Royal Bengal tigers in and around Poba RF, Pasighat RF, and D’Ering WLS is making ongoing demand for deployment of a tiger protection force more relevant to save the rare species in the region,” said Boken Pao, a native of Ruksin and presently serving DFO in Daporijo.
