Tiger pugmarks were spotted near a village in the Sunderbans on Tuesday, just a day after a tiger caged near another village in the same block was released into the wild.
By the evening, forest officials claimed the tiger had returned to the forest. Pugmarks in the direction of the forests prompted the claim.
Pugmarks were spotted near Gourer Chawk village early on Tuesday. Fishermen headed to the creek that separates the village from Ajmalmari forest were the first to spot them.
The tiger, forest officials suspected, was hiding in a mangrove patch along the creek’s bank. It was fenced with a nylon net as a precaution.
“When the water receded during the low tide, our men found pugmarks on the other side of the creek, towards the forest. It seems the tiger went back. However, we will keep patrolling the village boundary,” said a forest official.
Gourer Chawk is part of the Kultali block and under Maipith coastal police station.
A tiger that sneaked out of Ajmalmari forest was caged near Kishorimohanpur, another village in the same block, on Sunday night. It was released into Dhulibhasani forest on Monday.