Forest departmentt verifying claim of tiger sighting in Sinhagad valley

Inspector Sadashiv Shelar, in-charge of Haveli police station said, “The couple told us that they spotted a tiger around 6 pm. We subsequently informed the forest department. The couple specifically said that they knew the difference between a tiger and a leopard, and they were sure that it was a tiger.”

Deputy Conservator of Forest (Pune Division) Rahul Patil said, “We are verifying the claim of the sighting of a tiger. This is not a known territory for tigers. Though at this point, the presence of a tiger is unlikely in the region, our teams will check the facts.”

Forest Department officials said many times people confuse leopards or hyenas with tigers, especially in poor light conditions and when seen from a distance. However, they added that tigers are known to walk

long distances through corridors connecting forests. All the known habitats of the tigers are located more than 150 to 200 km away from the place.

Meanwhile, police have advised movement precautions in a dozen villages in the valley and around Sinhagad fort. “Until the forest department verifies the claim, we have advised movement precautions in around 12 villages in the Sinhagad valley and also on the Sinhagad Fort,” Shelar said.