The tiger, which crossed into West Bengal from neighbouring Jharkhand three days ago, has been holed up at Raika Hills in Purulia district's Bandwan range for the past two days, a senior forest official said on Wednesday.
"No fresh pugmarks of the animal has been spotted by our teams in the entire belt during the day which indicate it is camping deep inside the forest. Due to the hilly terrains, more than 70 cameras that have been installed in the entire stretch from Belpahari in Jhargram to Bandwan, could not properly capture its movement," Chief Conservator of Forests S Kulandaivel told PTI.
"But we are continuing surveillance using drones," he said.
Seven teams from the forest department, including a squad from the Sunderbans —trained in tracking movement of big cats and their capture — are keeping vigil in the area, he said.
Nylon fencing has been installed towards the human habitation in the forested area, and the teams are ready with trap door cages and cattle as bait, he added.
"We have also conducted an extensive campaign using loudspeakers in the populated areas near the forests, asking people not to venture near the forests, especially after dark, and to keep domesticated cattle inside their homes," Kulandaivel said.
Asked if the tiger had come from Jharkhand's Palamu, Kulandaivel clarified, "No, there is no such information. It is a wild animal that has come from somewhere in Jharkhand. It does not belong to any tiger conservation project." "We are also repeatedly asking people not to harm the animal if they spot it," the officer said.
Last month, another tiger named Zeenat had strayed into West Bengal from Odisha via Jharkhand and was caught 21 after days of pursuit by forest personnel from three states.
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