The Forest department conducted combing operations in the Mukurthi National Park and forest areas adjoining it to ensure that there is no illegal movement of people and poachers.
Speaking to The Hindu, C. Vidhya, Deputy Director of the Mukurthi National Park (MNP), said that the combing operations were conducted as a series of precautionary measures to step up vigilance in areas surrounding the MNP. Vigil has been stepped up following the poaching of a tiger by a group of poachers from North India in Avalanche earlier this year and following the suspected poisoning of at least one tiger in Emerald a few weeks ago.
Field staff conducted combing operations in Nadugani in Gudalur forest division, Kolaribetta, Western Catchment and Mukurthi Peak, encompassing Nilgiris forest division and the MNP. Combing operations have been conducted since September 15 in the four areas which are also along the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border by forest department staff with operations headed by forest rangers from Mukurthi, Theppakadu and Nilakottai forest ranges.
Automatic camera traps have also been set up in multiple locations in the regions to capture images of wildlife and also potential illegal intruders into these biodiverse areas, said forest department officials.
Since the poaching of a tiger in February, teams from the forest department have been meeting regularly in Theppakadu in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve to discuss measures to prevent the illegal entry of strangers into these areas, officials said.
Ms. Vidhya said that there were no signs that people were illegally entering MNP or were poaching or hunting wildlife in the areas adjoining it. “We will continue operations periodically to ensure this remains the case,” she said.
