Rajasthan's Mukundra reserve gets first tiger from Ranthambore

The first roar of a tiger was heard at the Rajasthan's Mukundara Hills National Park (MHNP) near Kota after the big cat was relocated from Ranthambore on Tuesday. With this, Rajasthan now has tigers in all three of its tiger reserves.

Chief Wildlife Warden, in his order dated March 30 laid down strict guideline and protocols for the translocation exercise. The three-and-half-year-old male tiger, RT-91, was released in a 26-hectare enclosure in Darrah range of MHNP by the state wildlife and forest department.

The tiger, popularly known as Mirza, was honey trapped and tranquillised in Ramgargh Vishdhari sanctuary in Bundi and then released in a 26-hectare enclosure of Darrah.  

Ghanshyam Sharma, Kota chief conservator of forest, wildlife said, "RT-91 was fitted with a radio collar and transported to MHNP. We kept it in a cage and transported through road in a canter to Darrah. The distance was over 100 km. The tiger remained inside the cage for 20 minutes before jumping into the enclosure."

As per the officials, Mirza will be kept for a fortnight to acclimatise it with MHNP before releasing it in around 80-square km forest area. In the enclosure where Mirza was released, two buffaloes and chitals have been kept as its prey.  Also, a team of 12 personnel of Special Protection Task Force of RTR have been deployed for the security of the tiger.

Calling it as a historic moment in the history of Wildlife Conservation, Additional Chief Secretary, Forest & Environment told DH, "With the arrival of the Tiger at Mukundra, the new and 3rd Tiger Sanctuary in Rajasthan, a new destination for tiger conservation and tourism has opened, with immense potential. "

As per the forest officials, this is the third time in the country when relocation of a tiger has taken place in a tiger reserve. The previous two relocations were done in Sariska (2004 - Rajasthan) and Panna (2010- Madhya Pradesh).

On the successful translocation of Tiger RT-91  Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje took to Twitter to congratulate the people of the Hadoti region, teams from Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, Mukundara Hills National Park and the Village Wildlife Watchers from Ranthambhore.