Maharashtra: People take selfies with young tiger in search of territory

Bhandara, Dec 13 (PTI) Videos of people taking selfies with a sub-adult tiger in Bhandara district of eastern Maharashtra have gone viral, prompting the forest department to monitor its movements and proposing its transfer to another forest range.

The tiger, about 18 to 19 months old, is on the verge of separation from its mother, and searching for its own territory, a forest official said on Friday, adding that its behaviour was unusual in that it did not seem to be getting disturbed when people were near it.

A video, shot in Borgaon area of Adyal forest range two days ago, showed local people taking photos and selfies from as close as 10 meters while the tiger rested after a cattle kill.

Rahul Gawai, deputy conservator of forest, Bhandara, said it is the cub of a tigress known as BT-10.

It has killed 13 to 14 cattle by entering villages, the official said.

The forest department is taking precautions, but since there are villages in the area, people reach the spot whenever there is a cattle kill or whenever the tiger is spotted, he said.

A dedicated team is stationed in Adyal forest range to monitor the tiger and the police help with crowd management whenever the tiger attracts people's attention, the official said.

A proposal has been sent to higher authorities to shift the animal elsewhere, Gawai added. PTI