No pug marks in Sariska; census pulled by 6 days

Forest officials of Rajasthan have failed to sight a single evidence of the existence of tigers after a fortnight-long census in the Sariska...

Forest officials of Rajasthan have failed to sight a single evidence of the existence of tigers after a fortnight-long census in the Sariska reserves.

In a desperate attempt to track down tigers, the department has now extended the census by another six days. Though the official figures of the census will be released later, sources told the The Indian Express that there isn’t a single tiger left in the Sariska sanctuary.

The census was conducted from May 16 to May 31. It would now be completed on June 6, sources said, adding that the officials have not been able to find a single pugmark in the sanctuary.

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‘‘The traditional system of counting has confirmed our worst fears. Tigers have been wiped out from the sanctuary,’’ sources said.

The department has only been able to track down a few leopards in the sanctuary, sources said. The first round of census involved tracking tigers in the areas where they are traditionally found. The moonlight count near the waterholes was, however, not conducted this year as the department felt it was not a reliable method. It is now conducting six days of transit tracking, which involves scanning of the entire sanctuary. ‘‘We will dispatch teams in every direction of the sanctuary so that no area is left uncovered,’’ sources said.

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