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Tiger pugmarks seen at 10,000 feet elevation
The Times of India ^ | 2nd April, 2009 | The Times of India

Posted on 04/02/2009 12:05:25 PM PDT by MyTwoCopperCoins

Pugmarks of a Royal Bengal Tiger have been found in the snow at an altitude of 10,000 feet in the Himalayas near Jelepla in eastern Sikkim after a gap of nearly 18 years, officials said.

Officials called it a rare discovery, since tigers are usually found in the plains and almost never above 6,000 feet.

The latest pugmarks were photographed March 27 in the Ganek-Lungto area in eastern Sikkim, Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife) Karma Legshey said.

Tiger pugmarks were last officially recorded at this altitude in Sikkim some 18 years ago, by then divisional forest officer Tshesum Lachungpa.

Legshey said forest officials were on a routine patrol when they found the pugmarks on the snow in the northeastern part of the Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary in Sikkim.

The team then recorded the altitude of the pugmark site using the Global Positioning System. They also measured the pugmarks and photographed it, he added.

"The pugmarks measure 19 cm long and 17 cm wide with a stride of around 110 cm," Legshey said, adding that a subsequent study confirmed the pugmarks as being those of a Royal Bengal Tiger.

He added that the trail of around 70 metres (of the animal's track) resembled that of a tiger on a "normal walk". The team then followed the track from Ganek to Devithan from where the terrain became too steep to follow.

"After making necessary arrangements at the site, we came down to Zuluk from where it was possible to catch the mobile telecom network and informed our superiors of our find. Immediately, a team from WWF-India, Sikkim Programme Office, led by Partho Ghosh, a tiger expert, left for the site and conducted necessary studies on the spot," Legshey said.

"After interviews with local residents and senior officials, it was presumed that the animal is a female," he added.

The residents in the area heard tiger roars in the past and also came across carcasses

of yaks and goats killed by the animal, Legshey said.

He said the tiger might have crossed into Sikkim from Bhutan through the Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, which is a forest extending into the neighbouring country.

Currently, a team of forest officials is camping at Zuluk to monitor and alert the villagers, police and defence personnel about the probable presence of a tiger in their midst.

Meanwhile, forest officials have urged the local residents not to harm the animal even if it attacks livestock, and assured appropriate compensation in case of an attack.

Tigers have been reported to prowl in the forests of Lachen and Lachung in northern Sikkim at an altitude above 8,000 feet, but sightings have been rare.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: globalwarminghoax; greennewdeal; himalayas; india; snow; tiger
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1 posted on 04/02/2009 12:05:25 PM PDT by MyTwoCopperCoins
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins

2 posted on 04/02/2009 12:10:06 PM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel (FreepMail me if you want on the Bourbon ping list!)
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins

Example of a Tiger Pugmark

3 posted on 04/02/2009 12:14:01 PM PDT by sr4402
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins

Probably being forced to higher elevations by overpopulation. India seems determined to render tigers extinct.


4 posted on 04/02/2009 12:16:40 PM PDT by chessplayer
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins

Watched an interesting show on discovery about the man eating tigers of NE India. How their behavior is much different from other tigers in the country.


5 posted on 04/02/2009 12:18:04 PM PDT by eastforker (.)
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins

“Meanwhile, forest officials have urged the local residents not to harm the animal even if it attacks livestock, and assured appropriate compensation in case of an attack.”

They will kill it even if they are compensated or it does`nt kill their livestock.


6 posted on 04/02/2009 12:18:40 PM PDT by chessplayer
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To: chessplayer
Probably being forced to higher elevations by overpopulation. India seems determined to render tigers extinct.

Actually demand from China for tiger parts has more to do with this than overpopulation. Viagra doesn't seem to have stemmed the demand.
7 posted on 04/02/2009 12:21:31 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel

That is one bad-ass looking kitty.


8 posted on 04/02/2009 12:24:22 PM PDT by Terpin (Missing: One very clever and insightful tagline. Reward for safe return!)
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins

Wouldn’t want to come face to face with one but Tigers are my favorite animal. They are beautiful!


9 posted on 04/02/2009 12:25:03 PM PDT by Mind Freed
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins

Some forest officials they are, when they can’t tell the difference between yeti and tiger tracks.


10 posted on 04/02/2009 12:26:51 PM PDT by razorback-bert (We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers.)
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To: eastforker

Was the man eating the tiger with fries and a milkshake?
Sorry....


11 posted on 04/02/2009 12:35:48 PM PDT by WestwardHo (Whom the god would destroy, they first drive mad.)
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To: Mind Freed
Wouldn’t want to come face to face with one...

 

 


12 posted on 04/02/2009 12:39:28 PM PDT by MyTwoCopperCoins (I don't have a license to kill; I have a learner's permit.)
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To: sr4402

Thank you for answering my unasked question. Just what the hell is a pugmark? Pugmark = Pawprint. Thanks


13 posted on 04/02/2009 12:40:41 PM PDT by BoneHead
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins

Every other creature on earth makes tracks and tigers make pugs?


14 posted on 04/02/2009 12:42:56 PM PDT by Ditter
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins
Too much is being made of the altitude. It's no big deal to live and function at 10,000 ft. When it happens above 15,000 ft, I'll be surprised.
15 posted on 04/02/2009 12:48:30 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: MyTwoCopperCoins

Tiger Pug


16 posted on 04/02/2009 12:49:11 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Obama's next program: Kopechne Care)
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To: chessplayer

>>Probably being forced to higher elevations by overpopulation. India seems determined to render tigers extinct.<<

No, no, no silly! They’re going to higher elevations to avoid Bush’s global warming!


17 posted on 04/02/2009 12:54:48 PM PDT by highnoon (GM-Obama is offering half price muffler belts with the purchase of 'green' blinker fluid!!!)
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To: sr4402
Hi My being ignorant, why do they call them pugmarks and not footprints?
18 posted on 04/02/2009 1:23:38 PM PDT by goat granny
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To: goat granny

... probably a “progressive” term .. “tracks” is so overused.


19 posted on 04/02/2009 1:31:16 PM PDT by DHC-2
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To: DHC-2

:O)


20 posted on 04/02/2009 1:38:02 PM PDT by goat granny
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