Tiger in Gujarat nicknamed bava for refusal to 'settle'

The tiger from Ujjain that made its way into Mahisagar, thus making Gujarat the only state to host the three big cats, was nicknamed Mangala Bava for its propensity to travel and its refusal to settle down. It should be noted that the tiger that was spotted first by a local school teacher and later caught on camera traps set by the forest department.

The animal is believed to be around 5 to 7 years old and belonged to Ratapani sanctuary near Bhopal.

Since 2017, the forest officials have been tracking his journey and is at present in Santrampur area in Mahisagar district of Gujarat.

A source in the know said a team from MP had also visited the state after the tiger was reported in Mahisagar.

Gujarat forest officials, however, categorically denied that any team from MP had come. "No team from MP has come here," said CCF Vadodara Circle SK Srivastava.

Sources also said that a two-member team from Gujarat had also meet officials of the National Tiger Control Authority (NTCA) and the latter had asked for a rapid survey as well as further details about the animals.

"The MP team also informed that the tiger was nicknamed Mangala Bava for it so far did not seem intent on settling anywhere. Bava is a term used for an ascetic," said the source.

"It could be that a team from MP has visited Gujarat," said a top-level official of the MP Forest department.

Srivastava, meanwhile, said that after its first sighting, the tiger has been caught several times in camera traps. "But we are not revealing information about the same," said Srivastava. Earlier, the department had in a series of tweets also clarified that it had no intention of capturing the tiger.

The clarification came after media reports of the department sourcing cages in the area where the tiger was found. It clarified that the cages were brought for 'unforeseen future needs'.