Nagpur Feb 22 PTI People of 45 villages falling in the buffer zone of Pench Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra have been counseled about the need to prevent and control forest fires an official said on Tuesday The Pench Tiger Reserve has seven ranges spread over 741 square kilometres comprising a core area of 430 square km and a buffer zone of 311 square km he said There were 15 incidents of fire in PTR in 2018 in which 28517 hectare area got burnt In 2019 there were 26 fire incidents in which 29145 hectare area got burnt In 2020 there were seven fire incidents reducing an area of 1305 hectare to ashes In 2021 the number increased to 54 leaving an area of 61914 hectare singed he said PTR has organised a competition among 45 villages of the buffer area for prevention and control of forest fire Since most fires are man-made it is imperative to involve people The programme will start on March 1 and continue till May 31 It will be assessed by an evaluation committee with fortnight reports being collected from villages said Kulraj Singh deputy director of Pench Tiger Reserve He said scoring will be on points such as formation and performance of the team of local youths in fire prevention and control farmers not burning fire in their farm land no use of fire in tendu and mahua collection use of net for mahua collection avoiding grazing in forest land developing fodder bank in villages etc The three best performing villages will be given Rs 51000 Rs 31000 and Rs 21000 he added PTI CLS BNM BNM BNM

Nagpur Jan 29 PTI Two instances of the use of electric current in the fields to keep off wild animals came to light in the Pench Tiger Reserve on Saturday a Maharashtra forest department official said hereElectrified fences which are not legal are sometimes used by local farmers in areas close to wildlife sanctuaries and often prove lethal for animalsAn anti-snare and anti-electrocution drive was carried out in 22 villages of Paoni Range by teams of forest officials and Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company MSEDCL a release said hereSome 800 meters of naked wires were seized in two places in Ambazari village it saidThe MSEDCL will take further action against the two culprits said the forest officialOn January 16 electric wire used as fence had been recovered in Savara village in Deolapar wildlife range the release said PTI CLS KRK KRK

Nagpur Jan 27 PTI A tigress has been spotted wandering with a snare around her neck at Pench Tiger Reserve in Maharashtras Nagpur district an official said on Thursday A photograph from a camera trap in Maikepar beat of Nagalwadi range on Wednesday showed that the big cat identified as T41 has a snare around her neck deputy director of the reserve stated in a release An agricultural area is approximately 1 km away from the camera trap location it was stated After analysing the past camera trap records it was found that the tigress was traversing west Pench Saleghat and Nagalwadi range of west Pench The forest department has set up more camera traps and nine patrolling teams have been formed to track down the big cat the release said Villagers have been asked to remain alert and avoid venturing into the forest it was stated Patrolling teams are also looking for snares in agricultural field and forest boundaries and the adjoining territorial Nagpur forest department has been alerted about the same the release stated PTI CLS ARU ARU

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], January 17 (ANI): 'Collarwali' tigress, the pride of Madhya Pradesh's Pench Tiger Reserve, died on Saturday evening due to old age.