Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): After more than three months of ‘hide-and-seek’ in small forest patches amidst human dominated landscape in Uttar Pradesh, the tiger in Rahmankhera was captured this morning by the rescue team placed by the Forest Department.

“The tiger is likely to be released in Dudhwa,” said Mahendra Singh, Conservator – Basti, who led the operations on ground. “Our message to public during such situations is to avoid disturbing the tiger, which can also affect rescue operations.”

The tiger was first reported in early January this year. Since then, efforts were on to capture the animal as a pre-emptive measure to prevent conflict with people around its refuge.

While, there were several close calls, the tiger had successfully avoided the persistent capture attempts including strategic baiting and tranquilisation, cage traps, and even pits.

“The tiger generally took the baits placed for it, during the span of the effort but was never captured till today,” said Dr Anil Kumar Singh of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) that had been assisting the Forest Department in the operation since the beginning.

The tiger had made its latest kill of a bait left for it on April 23. It was tranquilised this morning near the remains of this kill, by the rescue team on three captive elephants.

“We had expected the tiger to return to its kill in the Sissoo plantation in the Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture. So, at dawn today the team was strategically placed in the patch – some members on elephants others in vehicles, to surround the tiger from all sides if it approached the kill,” elaborated Devendra Singh, Biologist, WTI, who along with WTI veterinarian Saurabh Kumar Singai were on one of the elephants.

As planned, when the tiger was found feeding, it was surrounded by the team members to prevent escape. The dart was shot by Dr Utkarsh Shukla, Deputy Director, Lucknow Zoo.

Believed to have originated from the Dudhwa landscape about 250-km northwards, the tiger had since been residing in the four barely-linked forest patches spread over 46-hectares in Rahmankhera.

Apart from the baits provided to it by the rescue team, the tiger also occasionally took natural prey – nilgai that was available in the area. It had also lifted two cattle from surrounding areas, but fortunately there was no attack on people.

“The difficulties, not just in outwitting the tiger’s survival instincts, but also constant questioning about the delay in capturing it, notwithstanding, the team’s perseverance and patience paid off. It is not an easy task. People fail to see the hardships faced by the team on ground in these operations,” added Dr Anil Singh. “But, what matters now is that the tiger is safe, and the people are safe.”