Male tiger to be relocated from Ranthambore to Sariska
TNN | Apr 2, 2019, 10:41 IST
JAIPUR: After a gap of six years, the Rajasthan forest department is preparing to shift a big cat from Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) to Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) soon.
This time a male tiger will be relocated. Skewed sex ratio has been hampering the repopulation of big cats in Sariska. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had approved the relocation of a tiger in June 2017, with an aim to increase the population.
However, the process was delayed as tiger relocation to Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) was the priority of the former BJP government.
Meet of forest admn, experts today
According to sources, the field inspection team of NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) had come to RNP to complete prerequisite process. A meeting has also been slated between the forest administration and experts on Tuesday to identify the tiger.
“We have shortlisted five tigers for relocation. A tiger aged between 4 to 6 years will be most likely to be relocated,” a senior forest official said.
Currently, the park has three male and eight female tigers. There is an urgent need to relocate a male tiger to maintain the sex ratio.
Recently, male tiger ST-4 died in a territorial fight with ST-6. This was the third death after the reserve was repopulated in 2008. ST-1, the first tiger brought from Ranthambore, also a male, died in 2010 after villagers poisoned it.
On March 19, 2018, fouryear-old male tiger ST-11 died after it got entangled in a barbed wire fence laid by a villager close to a forest post adjoining Sariska.
The news of relocation of a male tiger has been welcomed by wildlife lovers who have been making this demand for long.
Dinesh Verma Durani, founder and general secretary of the Sariska Tiger Foundation and a member of the advisory committee of Sariska, said, “The state government is finally paying heed to our demands. Shifting a male tiger is necessary for Sariska’s survival.”
In another decision, the department will also deploy 70 home guards for monitoring tigers and patrol. On December 31, 40 home guards, engaged in security duty at the park, left after they were not paid wages for nine months.
This time a male tiger will be relocated. Skewed sex ratio has been hampering the repopulation of big cats in Sariska. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had approved the relocation of a tiger in June 2017, with an aim to increase the population.
However, the process was delayed as tiger relocation to Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) was the priority of the former BJP government.
Meet of forest admn, experts today
According to sources, the field inspection team of NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) had come to RNP to complete prerequisite process. A meeting has also been slated between the forest administration and experts on Tuesday to identify the tiger.
“We have shortlisted five tigers for relocation. A tiger aged between 4 to 6 years will be most likely to be relocated,” a senior forest official said.
Currently, the park has three male and eight female tigers. There is an urgent need to relocate a male tiger to maintain the sex ratio.
Recently, male tiger ST-4 died in a territorial fight with ST-6. This was the third death after the reserve was repopulated in 2008. ST-1, the first tiger brought from Ranthambore, also a male, died in 2010 after villagers poisoned it.
On March 19, 2018, fouryear-old male tiger ST-11 died after it got entangled in a barbed wire fence laid by a villager close to a forest post adjoining Sariska.
The news of relocation of a male tiger has been welcomed by wildlife lovers who have been making this demand for long.
Dinesh Verma Durani, founder and general secretary of the Sariska Tiger Foundation and a member of the advisory committee of Sariska, said, “The state government is finally paying heed to our demands. Shifting a male tiger is necessary for Sariska’s survival.”
In another decision, the department will also deploy 70 home guards for monitoring tigers and patrol. On December 31, 40 home guards, engaged in security duty at the park, left after they were not paid wages for nine months.
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