The Gods have been invoked, even official cash rewards announced. But nothing has helped in finding a tiger in the Panna tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

Government officials claim the sightings have gone down because of an anti-dacoit operation being carried out in the region and that hundreds of policemen inside the reserve has resulted in the displacement of tigers. But locals and tiger experts are expressing fears that there might not be many tigers left in Panna. Some go to the extent of comparing it with Sariska in Rajasthan, which is now completely devoid of tigers.

A team from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), which is carrying out a comprehensive study of the tiger population in the country, put the number of tigers in Panna at 24, in its preliminary estimations announced in May. But last week, shortly before it is due to submit its final report, the National Tiger Conservation Authority has asked the team to go back to Panna and reassess its figures.

Said Rajesh Gopal, member-secretary of the Authority: “Some people raised concerns that the tiger numbers are falling. We have asked the WII team to go back in the next two-three days to record the presence of tigers through camera trapping. Then only a clear picture will emerge.”

This has been prompted by an increasing number of reports that Panna, at best, might not have more than four or five tigers left. A bigger question mark hangs over the presence of female tigers. In the last three months, starting October, there have hardly been any tiger sightings in the reserve.

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