This video of the majestic tiger enjoying the winter sun in UP’s Pilibhit has gone viral » Today Latest Stories
In a rare incident, a Royal Bengal tiger was spotted in Atkona village of Kalinagar district in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh. The majestic cat, after venturing out of the Tiger Reserve forest, was captured on video sitting nonchalantly on the wall of the Gurudwara complex.
Footage circulating on social media showed the tiger casually strolling along the wall, surprising and horrifying onlookers. A large crowd gathered to witness the unusual sight, prompting the forest department and the local police department to take immediate action.
However, the tiger was tranquilized and shifted to a safe place by forest department officials.
We hope that the UP Forest Department can safely rescue this tiger which came out of the tiger reserve in Pilibhit district and decided to rest on the wall. The biggest challenge is protecting the tiger from the crowds and the never-ending madness of taking a selfie video @airnewsalerts pic.twitter.com/EUZEFMD8xY– Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) December 26, 2023
The tiger’s night escape began at around 2 am when it entered Atkona village, and eventually found its way to the boundary wall of a farmer named Shindu Singh, according to a report by ETV Bharat. The commotion started when local dogs started barking loudly in the presence of the wild visitor. The report added that Shindu Singh, who was startled by the noise, discovered the leopard sitting on the wall of his compound upon investigation.
As the news spread throughout the village, residents took precautionary measures to ensure their safety. Many of them lit fires outside their homes, while others climbed onto their roofs and threw torches at the majestic creature. Despite the commotion, the tiger remained calm, maintaining his regal pose on the wall throughout the night.
As the crowd outside Shindu’s house grew, the villagers immediately contacted the forest department. Forest officials, accompanied by a rescue team, arrived to address the situation and return the tiger safely to its natural habitat.
According to the Al-Jumhuriya report, the Forest Department set up a security cordon using a net to prevent any untoward incidents. Bengal tigers, which once freely roamed the entire Indian subcontinent, faced a significant decline in their numbers during the 20th century due to a combination of poaching and habitat loss. In 1900, it was estimated that approximately 100,000 tigers inhabited India. However, by 1972, this number had dwindled to just 1,827.
Since 2015, there has been a notable 40% increase in tiger numbers, attributed to advances in monitoring and counting methods. Unlike many other species, conducting a tiger census is relatively simple due to the distinctive striped patterns of each Bengal tiger; No two are alike.
