Week after big cat spotted: Tiger trackers from Rajaji reserve park visit Paonta Sahib forests

4 min readChandigarhJun 30, 2026 12:15 PM IST

Tiger sighting in Himachal's Paonta Sahib forests prompts investigation into whether it is the missing Rajaji Tiger Reserve tigress and highlights the region's role as an interstate wildlife corridor. (File Photo)

A tiger-tracking team from the Rajaji Tiger Reserve had visited the Himachal forests to conduct a scientific assessment, after a camera trap captured a big cat in the Paonta Sahib forests. Experts and officials believe that it could be the tigress missing from the neighbouring Rajaji Tiger Reserve and National Park in Uttarakhand, for more than a year.

The team, comprising three persons, installed five to six additional high-resolution camera traps in the Paonta Sahib forests, as well as in areas adjoining Rajaji Tiger Reserve.

Officials familiar with the development said the team had visited the area last week. The team was shown photographs of pugmarks believed to belong to the tiger. However, the images were too unclear to be matched with those of the tigress that has remained untraced in the reserve.

Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Paonta Sahib, Aditya Sharma, confirmed the development.

Meanwhile, the reserve director, Koko Rose, has decided to visit the Paonta Sahib forest, along with senior officials, to inspect the landscape, which closely resembles that of the national park.

Koko told The Indian Express, “We sent a team of our tiger trackers to Paonta Sahib and installed our own high-resolution camera traps. What we learned from the visit is that the landscape of Paonta Sahib and the national park in Uttarakhand is very similar. The Yamuna River and several small rivulets pass through both areas. I have decided to visit the forest areas in Himachal personally within a week.”

He also said, “Another reason to visit this area is the heavy interstate movement of wild animals through the 12-km-long elevated corridor on the Delhi-Dehradun highway. These movements require close interstate coordination… will include training of field staff, close monitoring of wildlife movement, quick sharing of information and implementation of safety measures. The interstate movement of Asian elephants from Uttarakhand to Himachal Pradesh to Haryana, and vice versa, is well documented.”

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Forest officials in Himachal Pradesh are yet to ascertain the tiger’s gender.

Apart from the pugmarks, officials have also found claw marks on trees near the camera trap, indicating that the animal may have been frequenting the area for at least two to three days. Tigers leave claw marks on trees, along with urine and anal gland secretions, to mark their territory, officials said.

Notably, on June 14, a camera trap captured a tiger in the Khara block of the Paonta Sahib Forest Range in Sirmaur. The image provided the first concrete evidence of a tiger’s presence in the area, following months of claims by residents of Tokka and Lie villages, which are located about 7-8 km from the forest block. While the aerial distance between Khara and Rajaji Tiger Reserve is estimated to be only 30-40 km, the road distance is around 85 km. The two regions share a contiguous forested landscape, making interstate wildlife movement a distinct possibility.

In February 2023, a tiger was captured on a camera trap in Simbalbara National Park for the first time, marking the park’s first recorded tiger sighting.

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Forest officials believe the latest sighting could indicate that the forested landscape of Paonta Sahib is increasingly emerging as an important wildlife corridor connecting Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana.

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Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting.

Professional Background

Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters.

Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India.

Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)

His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh:

1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth.

2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025).

3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025)

4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025)

Legal & Agricultural Affairs

"Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned.

"Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur.

3. Governance & Environment

"Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act.

"Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters.

Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc:

crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023)

Signature Beats

Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs.

X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar

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Tags:

Forest Department

Rajaji Tiger Reserve

wildlife