Tiger cub feasts on his first kill, a rabbit

Coimbatore: More than a week after it was released into an enclosure for rewilding along with its preys (two rabbits) at Mathirimattam in Manambolly forest range in AnamalaiTiger Reserve (ATR), the male tiger cub hunted its first prey – one of the mammals - on Tuesday.
According to the forest department, the first hunting by the one-and-a-half-year-old tiger was not recorded on CCTV due to heavy rain. But the second hunting of its prey was recorded on CCTV on Thursday morning.
On June 5, the forest department released the tiger cub into the enclosure around 11.05am for rewilding along with the rabbits. Initially, the cub did not take note of the rabbits which were roaming inside the enclosure, an official from the forest department said.
All these days, the tiger cub was devouring only beef and mutton kept in its static cage set up in the enclosure. “Initially, it took three days for the cub to become acclimatized to the new environment (enclosure). And, it did not hunt the rabbits,” the official said.
On Tuesday, the tiger finally hunted one of the rabbits. “The tiger is gradually rewilding,” deputy director öf ATR MG Ganesan said. He said apart from hunting the preys, the cub consumed 12kg of meat every day.
On September 28, 2021, the tiger cub was found abandoned at Thaimudi estate in Manombally forest range in Anaimalai Tiger Reserve. It was wandering outside the reserve forest and looked feeble.
The cub had a porcupine quill on its body and it was kept in a cage near the forest department’s rest house at Manombally. It was treated by the forest veterinary officials. The eight- month-old male tiger cub weighed about 78-80kg then. Now, it weighs about 144kg and is active. Deer and wild boar will be sent to the enclosure in future to monitor the hunting methods of the tiger cub, the official said.