Narmadapuram: A tiger that was roaming in the Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology's (MANIT) campus in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal for a week was finally captured on Sunday much to the relief of people, an official said. A Wildlife Department official while confirming the development said the feline was released in the forests of the Churna range of Satpura Tiger Reserve.
The operation was carried out by a special team led by Sandeep Fellowes, Deputy Director of Satpura Tiger Reserve. The capture of the big cat has given a sigh of relief to the students, staff at the MANIT Bhopal besides locals. It had reportedly sneaked into the campus on October 3 and had created terror among the students and staff.
Also read: Tiger straying in human habitats quarantined at national park
Given the threat, the varsity administration had preponed the midterm break for undergraduate students. Pertinently, during the last decade, people in more than 50 forest villages in the vicinity of STR have been evacuated to add 11,000 hectares of land for the habitat of tigers. Besides, 1,600 cheetahs from Pench Tiger Reserve were released in Satpura Tiger Reserve.
In the Tiger Reserve area, 170 patrolling camps have been set up while drone cameras have also been installed to monitor the area. In addition to tiger, leopard, Malabar, Giant Squirrel, Eurasian Otter, Smooth Coated Otter, Flying Squirrel, Pangolin and Rattle are also found in Satpura Tiger Reserve. Apart from this, both red and grey species of wild chicken are found here.
Besides, some very rare species of flora are found here like Lycopodium, Psylotum, Scythia, Asmunda, Botricium, Ophioglossum etc. More than 1,300 plant species are found at the STR of which 30 thallophytes, including 83 bryophytes and 138 pteridophytes species.
