Mr. Anurag Shukla, member of the Achanakmar Local Advisory Committee and Ex Honorary Wildlife Warden has endorsed our campaign. The following are his comments:

This is the second time an injured tiger has been reported from Achanakmar. When this happened first, back in the mid90s, the big cat was left alone to suffer. This tigress, however, was tranquillized and brought to the Kanan Pendari zoo by the forest department for medical treatment.

Chhattisgarh’s Achanakmar is key to sustaining tigers in central India. It connects vital tiger habitats of Kanha, Bandhavgarh, and Guru Ghasidas National Park together, and acts as a safe haven for all cats migrating to or from these reserves. Apparently, this is the reason why Achanakmar continuously reports migrating tigers, besides the resident ones.

Achanakmar, however, is at a loss. No state politician has ever expressed interest in the status of tigers, the forest, park management, or other wildlife in Achankmar. Nor has anyone shown concern over the number of tigers and their whereabouts. This is readily seen in bureaucracy where political forces switch reserve’s field director every one and half to two years. To bring things together, and better manage Achanakmar, an officer should be appointed as a field director for at least a decade.

The injured tigress, according to the officers in-charge, is getting better day by day. We hope she completely recovers within the next few months.

After a complete recovery in captivity, this tigress should be rehabilitated in a huge enclosure within her territory and her hunting skills and behaviour should be observed. Once experts agree on her satisfactory recovery, she should be released back in the wild.

Anurag Shukla
Member of local advisory committee (ATR)
Ex-Hn-Wildlife Warden