2 tiger cubs born in Kailadevi sanctuary after three decades

JAIPUR: The Baisakhi has brought a truly good 'harvest' for wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists in the state, especially that of big cats.
For the first time in three decades, the Kailadevi Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Karauli district, has recorded the birth of tiger cubs.

Two cubs, about three-and-a-half-month old, were spotted with their mother-T-92-at Ninder ki Kho near Mandrel on Saturday.

While the movement of tigers from the overpopulated Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) to Kailadevi has been frequent, with several of them reportedly straying and living at the sanctuary for several months, this is for the first time in decades that a tigress has given birth at the sanctuary. "After a span of three decades, a tigress has given birth to cubs at Kailadevi. While T-92, the mother is four-and-a-half-years old, the father is T-72, who is also known as Sultan," said Y K Sahu, chief conservator of forests and field director, Ranthambore Tiger Project.

Tigress T-92 is the daughter of T-11 also known as Bhir. Sultan had migrated from Sultanpur area of Ranthambore to Mandreal when he was threatened by T-24 (Ustad), a mighty and attractive male tiger, who ruled the RTR for nine years.

The two were reported to be moving together at Mandreal for the past few months, which had raised the hopes of forest authorities of seeing new off-spring.