Overcrowded Gorewada Rescue Centre to get 20 new cages for big cats

Nagpur: With Gorewada Rescue Centre (GRC) running out of space to accommodate rescued tigers and leopards, Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) plans to expand its capacity by adding 20 more enclosures.
Presently, there are 10 enclosures for tigers and 20 for leopards at the rescue centre. However, this capacity has already been exhausted.
According to sources, public works department (PWD) is in the process of finalizing estimates for the project. Talking to TOI, divisional manager Pramod Panchbhai said, “Last month, we have asked the PWD to prepare estimates. The project will cost over Rs8-10 crore and 50:50 funds will be sought under both CAMPA and state plan.”
It is a tightrope walk for the rescue centre authorities to accommodate additional animals, especially tigers and leopards. The centre has 10 tiger enclosures, but 12 tigers. As there is no space in Gorewada, one tiger from Pandharkawda is stationed at the Transit Treatment Centre (TTC), Seminary Hills.
“Considering the flared up human-animal conflict in Vidarbha, possibility of more individual problem tigers and leopards being brought to the centre cannot be ruled out,” says state wildlife board member Kundan Hate.
There are 25 problem leopards, but only 20 enclosures at the centre. Of the two surplus tigers, one has been put up in hospital while another will be accommodated in monkey cages. The monkeys have been shifted in small mammal cages as there are no small mammals as of now at the centre.
As per list submitted to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) during the last seven years from April 2015 till July 2021, the rescue centre received 20 tigers from the region — 8 males and 12 females. Of these, five tigers — three females and two males — were disposed of while three died during treatment.
Similarly, during the same period, the centre received 41 leopards — 16 males and 25 females. Of these, eight — five females and three males — were disposed of while 12 died during the course of treatment.
Once again, man-animal conflict has flared up in Vidarbha and at least 28 villagers, most of whom ventured deep into forest, have died in either tiger or leopard attacks in the last seven months. The number of tiger deaths during the same period has gone up to 26 in the state.
The number of surplus big cats in the rescue centre is swelling despite two tigers and seven leopards being released in Balasaheb Thackeray International Zoological Park for safari and three sent to Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Mumbai.
To overcome crowding and also for pairing, a three-year-old male tiger NT-1 captured from Talodhi was shifted to Maharajbagh Zoo in August last. “The city zoo has further sought a tigress from Gorewada for breeding purposes,” said Panchbhai.