The Forest Department has started the process of procuring radio-collars after a report faulted a non-functional collar for the delay in tracking the tiger in Belagavi recently.
The report, submitted by Deputy Conservator of Forests Ambadi Madhav on Thursday, said the radio-collar had stopped giving out signals within two weeks of its relocation to Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary on November 19. The tiger had been relocated after attacking a woman on the fringes of the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Chikkamagalur, on November 15.
“The GPS had stopped working from the start, while the VHF (very high frequency, which can be tracked by antennas from a distance) stopped working after two weeks. If the collar was working, we wouldn’t have needed nearly nine teams scouring the forest,” said Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Vinay Luthra.
Till now, the department has had to rely on NGOs for radio-tracking animals in conflict. While the NGO that had fit the “new” radio-collar claimed that the reason for failure was yet to be figured out, the NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) has written to the State Forest Department offering to fund the purchase of radio-collars that can cost up to Rs. 3 lakh a piece.
“We will ask for four collars, two each for tigers and elephants,” said Mr. Luthra, adding that the doctors and officials in the department will be sent to the Wildlife Institute of India for training and capacity building. NTCA’s IG (Southern Zone) P.S. Somashekar said the advisory was sent to ensure there was accountability and monitoring of the collars .“While getting collars from external agencies, the officials are unaware of the condition or the maintenance history of the collar that is being put,” he said.
