CAT CONCERN: Tigers at Nandankanan zoo in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, March 11: Forest officials have once again traced the “presence” of the big cat in the Dampara range of the Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary.

Reports of the presence of what could be a tigress and its cub have been in the air since the last week of December last year.

This morning, the Chandaka forest division officials have found the carcass of a cow at Salabari Pokhari near Pithakhia in Dampara range. The forest officials suspect that the tigress might have killed the cow as claw marks were also found on the neck of the animal.

“The villagers have also informed us that they have heard the sound of roaring of a tiger in the region in the last two days. We have asked our men to be alert and keep tabs on the movement of the wildcat. However, we are yet to find any pugmarks,” said divisional forest officer of Chandaka forest division S.N. Mohapatra.

The forest officials had found several pugmarks of a wildcat and a cub in the sanctuary area between the last week of December and the second week of January. Barendra Swain, a member of the anti-depredation squad, had seen the tigress near the gate of Dholkath within the limits of the sanctuary on January 3.

The Nandankanan zoo authorities have also found pugmarks at two locations outside the zones demarcated for bear and lion safari.

Villagers are living in panic ever since the news of the presence of a wildcat spread in the area about three months ago.

“We do not dare to venture outside after dark ever since we came to know about the presence of the tigress in our locality in last December,” said Sukant Maharana, a resident of Gadeikuda village.

This is the first incident of the presence of a wildcat in the sanctuary after 1967.

Wildlife experts believe that the tigress and its cub might have come from the Satakosia tiger reserve crossing the Mahanadi river, while the forest officials are yet to confirm the area from where the wildcats have come.

The forest officials, however, advised the villagers not to be panic. “The villagers need to inform us about the movement of the wildcat. The wildcat does not attack anyone without provocation,” said a forest official.