Orphaned tigers to be released into wild in Rajasthan: Officials

Following the passing of their mother, tigress T-114, in February last year, the cubs were relocated from Ranthambore National Park (RNP) to Abheda Biological Park in Kota

Jaipur: Rajasthan forest department is likely to release two orphaned tiger cubs from captivity into the forest next month, following approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), officials aware of the matter said on Saturday.

(Representative Photo)

Following the passing of their mother, tigress T-114, in February last year, the cubs were relocated from Ranthambore National Park (RNP) to Abheda Biological Park in Kota. Currently, at approximately 15 months old, the department plans to reintroduce them into their natural habitat in June, added officials.

A committee was established to oversee the development of the cubs, under the guidance of the chief wildlife warden. Directions regarding this matter were sought from the NTCA, said a senior forest official familiar with the development.

He said during their time at the Biological Park, the cubs were initially given bait, but with time, they began hunting, which the foresters were monitoring through CCTVs. These cubs were maintained in a natural ecosystem with zero human interference.

The official said, “As per the initial proposal, both the cubs will be released in two separate reserves. The female will be sent to Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR), and the male will be rewilded in Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve.”

He continued, as per protocol, that the relocation would initially occur in a soft enclosure. The forest department has previously encountered two instances of raising orphaned cubs, but in both cases, it was done in the wild.

The official recalled that this is not the first such move of rewilding as it happened four years back. He said both tigress T-15 and T-5 in Ranthambore left behind two cubs each after their demise. They were successfully raised by the forest department. However, they were not transferred to captivity and were raised in the wild with heightened monitoring. This presents a new challenge of determining the appropriate time for releasing these cubs.

Retired Indian Forest Serviceman Sunayan Sharma said, “Rewilding is not a problem, but it needs to be ensured that the tigers are hunting. Their release should be at reserve with adequate prey base and less threat from adult tigers.”