Two more tiger cubs spotted in Sariska

Authorities at Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan's Alwar district - around 110 km from here - have reported spotting two more tiger cubs in a span of just over a month.

"Two cubs of tigress ST-10 have been spotted Thursday evening through camera traps," Manoj Kumar Parashar, deputy conservator of forests and deputy field director, tiger project, Sariska told IANS over phone Friday. The cubs seem to be about four-five months old.

With these cubs the total strength of tigers in Sariska now touches 13 - nine adults and four cubs. Two cubs, around 3-4 months old, of tigress ST-2 had been spotted in Sariska July 20.

In 2004-05, the forest department and the Rajasthan government had faced all-round criticism over the disappearance of tigers from Sariska. Poaching was found to be a reason for the dwindling tiger population.

Facing flak from different quarters, the state government decided to relocate tigers from Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan to Sariska. In all 7 tigers have been shifted from Ranthambore to Sariska so far, starting 2008.

The Sariska reserve, originally a hunting preserve of the erstwhile rulers of Alwar, was declared a wildlife reserve in 1955. It got the status of a National Park in 1979.

The total area of the park is 866 sq km. Some of the other wildlife found in it includes leopards, jungle cats, hyenas, jackals, chital, sambars, langurs, wild boar, four-horned deer and many species of birds.