Ranthambore to answer Sariska's call for tiger

A tiger will soon be airlifted from Ranthambore to Sariska Tiger  Reserve in what officials claimed for better breeding and balancing male-female ratio in the sanctuary.

Forest department officials told DH that State’s Chief Wildlife Warden has written to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to relocate a (male sub-adult)  cub of  T39 tigress from Ranthambore  wildlife reserve, which has nearly 57 adults and cubs.

 Official figures from wildlife department suggests that Sariska has 14 tigers- two males, two sub adult males and 10 females- and needs a male tiger for breeding of first generation tigress born here.

Breeding
The  current ratio is inappropriate for better breeding as  the tigress ST7 and ST8 that turned five are in reproductive stage, while tigress ST3 and ST5 that crossed eight are yet to give birth to new cubs.

Tiger reintroduction programme began in Sariska in 2008 with assistance from the NTCA and Wildlife Institute of India, as the big cats went extinct in the forest in 2005. Seven of the 14 tigers were brought from Ranthambore and as many were born in the reserve.
Sariska’s field director R S Shekhawat said introducing sub-adult male is important for fast breeding.

“If the weather stays fine, shifting the second big cat should take place as soon as possible,” he told DH, adding both tiger reserves are awaiting the NTCA’s nod.

Wildlife officials said NTCA received three requests for male cub from Ranthambore sanctuary. Sources reveal the New Delhi- based Authority would approve relocating the tiger cub to Sariska.

Ranthambore’s field director YK Sahu said the relocation will take place as soon as the nod comes and it will be carried out as per the Wildlife Institute of India’s norms.
The cub to be reintroduced will be tracked suing radio collar.

Airlifting cubs
It will be tranquilised and transported to Sariska by army helicopter. The aerial distance between the two reserves is 200 kilometre.

Experts say the airlifting would save the cub from exposure to hot sun in a 240-kilometre road trip that would take four hours as against the 45-minute flight.

The last relocation of a tiger between the two sanctuaries took place in January 2013, when  tigress ST 9 was transported from Ranthambore to Sariska.