Tiger pug marks found in South 24 Parganas district

KULTALI: Pug marks of a pair of tigers from Sunderbans were found at Ambikanagar, in Kultali of South 24 Parganas district, days after a tigress strayed into a nearby village.

Villagers first spotted the marks and informed forest officials who confirmed yesterday that the pug marks were of a full-grown male and a female.

A forest official said the big cats swam across a 300-metre wide creek, which separates the area from Ajmalmari jungle two days back.

"Going by the pug marks, the animals must have returned back to the jungle," he said.

Twelve days back a tigress strayed from the Sunderbans in Deuli village, near Ambikanagar, before being captured by forest personnel and released into Ajmalmari jungle.

On February 22, a tiger swam across a river from Jharkhali jungle in Sunderbans and entered into Tridib Nagar village, under Canning sub-division.

It was later caged and brought to Alipore Zoo with its hind leg injured.

The mangrove forests of Sunderbans is home to the depleting Royal Bengal tiger and incidences of tigers encroaching on human habitation is on the rise.