Sir,
This has reference to the letter by Tahir Shawl about tigers: DE June 7.
Existence of tigers in Jammu and Kashmir is a debatable issue with majority of experts and wild life officials. Some wild life official claim that the said species of cat family never occured here but still some experts maintain that the State had been a habitat for the national animal. Whereas some experts claimed that tigers existed in the lower Shivalik range in pre-historic era some revealed that they had been spotted in some hilly districts 15 to 20 years ago. According to Geological Survey of India authorities, the department had got reports of tiger sighting in the Jammu division. The department authorities talk about the remours of such sighting in the Valley also but lack evidence.
In 1990, the Survey Department received a report of tiger sighting in Dera Gali area of hilly district Rajouri. After proper enquiry it was established that the sighted species was surely a tiger. The second report about the tiger sighting that had poured in was from outskirts of Kathua district in Billawar area.
However, the department flatly refute claims which stress that there were no tigers ever in the State and only Leopards among the wild cats existed here.
For further informatuion and ready reference please go through street voice March 2012 page 10 titled J&K was home to tigers.
Yours etc…
S.N. Raina
Jammu
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