An Indian university had to cancel an event expected to attract 10,000 students because of a tiger that roamed its campus for several days in Bhopal, central India, India’s forest service and press.
About fifty forest service officers were deployed to try to find and capture the animal for transport to the forest area where it normally lives. The tiger, wandering around this enormous campus for a week, had already had time to kill two cows.
“We have also set up ten camera traps to track its movements, as well as a cage, and we are waiting. But the tiger did not come out.”told AFP Alok Pathak, agent of the area’s forest service.
According to Mr Pathak, the animal is one of twelve tigers living in the jungle around Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh state. Wandering tigers have been roaming around the giant campus since last Monday, which covers forested areas and offers good water sources, good vegetation cover, not to mention livestock that roam freely as food pans, Pathak said.
The Department of Forestry ensures that in broad daylight the campus is safe for students, while recommending that all “don’t go out alone, by bike or on foot, after sunset”.
The presence of the beast has forced the university to postpone its annual technology festival which was due to take place from Saturday with the participation of 10,000 students from across India.
“Imagine a little! A technology festival was rescheduled because of a tiger”a student told the newspaper Indian Time. “But we understand that this is the only solution. We can’t take any chances with tigers roaming around the campus.”
According to the newspaper, classes were held online for two days last week, until the Department of Forestry announced that face-to-face classes were possible during the day without security concerns.
In addition, a tiger that killed at least nine people in the state of Bihar (eastern) was killed in an operation decided by the authorities and which deployed 200 people.
Conservationists blame the rapid expansion of human habitat around the forest and the lack of biological corridors for wildlife migration in various parts of India. According to government figures, 225 people died in India from tiger attacks between 2014 and 2019.
