Join The Campaign To Save Tigress Avni And Her Cubs! Sign The Petition

The campaign is growing louder each day and the petition on Change.org has amassed 60k signatures and counting. But what’s behind the big hunt for the big cat?  A trigger-happy Forest Department helmed by a minister who’s known for passing shoot-at-sight orders: Sudhir Mungantiwar.

The Big Cat

Avni is a tigress with two cubs in Yavatmal district in Maharashtra – Pandharkwada, to be a little more precise.  Villagers claim she has killed 5 of their people. The area is not new to tiger attacks, and the village has lost 13 people to tiger attacks in the last two years.

Let Avni Live | SIGN THE PETITION

Who Wants Avni Dead?

Government and legal authorities.   After more than 18 villages around the area complained of tiger attacks to the authorities, the Supreme Court stepped in and officially labelled Avni a “man-eater” in September - for reportedly killing 13 people.

And with it, the Maharashtra Forest Department issued shoot-at-sight orders.

But do you know who’s behind the Forest Department’s move? Maharashtra’s very own Forest Minister, Sudhir Mungantiwar.  Earlier this year, on the heels of passing the orders, he stated:

“I had told the officials to catch her first. But I was told that the tigress has become dangerous and hence it is necessary to kill her. So, the department has sought permission from the wild life board.”

Sudhir Mugantiwar, Maharashtra Forest Minister

Sudhir Mungantiwar, Forest Minister

Let Avni Live | SIGN THE PETITION

So, in a nutshell, the authorities believe that the tigress killed 13 villagers, based on reports and hearsay. It’s all conjecture – there’s no scientific proof that Avni mauled and killed the villagers. (Reports indicate that Mungantiwar has, since he took office in 2014, passed 7 orders to shoot and kill tigers and leopards.)

The Hunt

Just to give you a little insight into just HOW many resources have been put behind slaying 1 tiger, here’s a snapshot of the task force involved:

• 200 personnel
• 90 trap cameras
• 1 sharpshooter
• Thermal drones
• Sniffer dogs

What Activists Are Saying

Activists, naturally, are protesting the decision since there’s no proof that ties Avni to the 13 corpses. While there are reports that suggest Avni's DNA has been linked to 5 of the 13 bodies, there is no clear data she ckilled them. 

• No definite DNA analysis
• No scientific data
• All evidence based purely on visual citing, pugmarks and camera traps

Why You Should Care – And Sign The Petition

Uncovering the tigress or her cubs hasn’t been easy – the area is dense forestland covered in lantana bushes, which is why the tigress has been able to stay out of sight for so long. (She has a natural instinct to protect her cubs, after all.)

And precisely because it’s so difficult to spot her, the Forest Department is ramping up operations with their manpower, drones and gadgets – which means it will be a messy, bloody encounter as and when they do spot her.

If Avni is located, is there any guarantee that her cubs will not be caught in the crossfire? And isn’t it wrong to hunt, that too, an endangered species?

Support the cause and get the government to stop the hunt for Avni. Let Avni Live. SIGN THE PETITION HERE.

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