Tigress spotted with snare on neck in Nagpur's Pench reserve

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A tigress has been spotted wandering with a snare around her neck at Pench Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra's Nagpur district, an official said on Thursday.

A photograph from a camera trap in Maikepar beat of Nagalwadi range on Wednesday showed that the big cat identified as T41 has a snare around her neck, deputy director of the reserve stated in a release.

An agricultural area is approximately 1 km away from the camera trap location, it was stated.

"After analysing the past camera trap records, it was found that the tigress was traversing west Pench, Saleghat and Nagalwadi range of west Pench. The forest department has set up more camera traps and nine patrolling teams have been formed to track down the big cat," the release said.

Villagers have been asked to remain alert and avoid venturing into the forest, it was stated.

Patrolling teams are also looking for snares in agricultural field and forest boundaries, and the adjoining territorial Nagpur forest department has been alerted about the same, the release stated.