Tipeshwar sanctuary tiger cubs freed from porcupine quills

The two male tiger cubs of Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Yavatmal, Maharashtra, which were heavily infested with porcupine quills, were treated by the forest department

The two male tiger cubs of Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Yavatmal, Maharashtra, which were heavily infested with porcupine quills, were treated by the forest department on Saturday evening, after a delay of more than two weeks. The cubs – T2C2 and T2C3 – aged around 10-11 months, were released into the wild on Sunday.

HT Image

Ravikiran Govekar, field director of Pench Tiger Reserve, who led the rescue operation with a veterinary team consisting of Dr Chetan Patond, Dr Mayur Kate and other forest officers, said, “As this was a natural incident in the wild, the [forest department] management decided not to intervene unnecessarily and waited for the quills to come off naturally. Field observations on Saturday indicated that the cubs, especially T2C3, needed further [medical] interventions as he was found to be weak and unable to move.”

“The cubs were only released into the wild only after a decision was taken by a committee constituted as per the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) standard operating procedure. While T2C2 is healthy and fine, T2C3 will be monitored closely in the coming days,” added Govekar.

After receiving the necessary permissions from Maharashtra’s chief wildlife warden, both the cubs were tranquillised. The officers then removed around 30 quills from their bodies, said Govekar.

During the second week of December, the cubs of a dominant female tigress, T2, of the Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, were found with quills on their body after they tried to attack a porcupine.

The tigress too, had quills attached to its body, but she managed to remove most of the quills.

The injury was first highlighted by tourists who had spotted the cubs in the sanctuary.

“The cubs while trying to attack the porcupine got injured. Photos showed the spikes were very much attached to the animals’ faces,” said Jeryll Banait, a wildlife conservationist from Nagpur.

On Friday, HT had reported about how wildlife conservationists were worried over the Maharashtra forest department’s delay in providing treatment for the cubs.

Banait added that the delay in treatment highlights the forest department’s careless attitude.

“We are witnessing repeated cases in which tourists identify an issue, activists demand action, and then a lethargic forest department acts on it. Instead of sitting in air-conditioned offices, officers need to be more vigilant on field,” said Banait.