Rajasthan: 17-year-old Sariska tigress critical, chances of its survival look bleak

JAIPUR: Seventeen-year-old tigress ST-2, which is undergoing treatment at Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR), is critical and may not survive for long. After the tigress was found injured at Kooncha in Rajgarh range, the forest department on Tuesday tranquilized and shifted it to the enclosure for treatment.
An official source said, “The tigress is old and struggling to recover. The possibilities of survival are bleak.”
ST-2 is the second big cat and the first tigress that was shifted to Sariska on July 4, 2008 from Ranthambore National Park.
The first relocated tiger, ST-1, was poisoned to death in November 2010. She was flown by an IAF helicopter from Ranthambore to Sariska. “The tigress was first spotted with a cub on August 7 after it was brought to STR and it was most celebrated moment. In early years, the tigress only gave fresh lease of life to Sarsika as she delivered four cubs.”
The condition of tigress ST-2 became serious, a month after a death of 16-year-old tigress ST-3 at Bhagani in the core area. As majority of big cats are ailing and old, wildlife lovers expressed concern over the fate of the reserve and requested the forest department to review the tiger reintroduction programme.
Dinesh Verma Durani, founder and general secretary of Sariska Tiger, said there have been several attempts at the relocation of tigers to Sariska and a total of nine tigers have been relocated from Ranthambore so far. “Recently, ST 13, a dominant male tiger, had disappeared without a trace. The tigresses ST3 and ST5 (who are both dead now) could not deliver any cubs. Tigressess named ST7 & ST8 could be facing the same fate as they are now around 10 years old and have not yet delivered any litters. The state authorities should consider the matter seriously.”
Stakeholders further said the livelihood of many villagers and locals is dependent on STR. “After the death of ST-3, there is no possibility of tiger sighting at Tehla range.
There are more than 20 hotels in the area where more than 2000 people are directly and indirectly working. Similarly, tourists can expect the sighting of two tigers ST-9 and ST-21, if they enter from main STR gate. However, in absence of routes and tracks, that possibility is also rare.”