Tigress gives birth to four cubs in Maharashtra's Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve

Wildlife lovers have reasons to cheer as a tigress has given birth to four cubs in the Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) in Maharashtra's Gondia district, officials said.

Besides, two more tigresses from the Bramhapuri range (in Chandrapur district) are expected to be released in the NNTR soon, they said.

Of late, tigress T-4 has been seen moving around with four cubs born in a single litter, NNTR's field director Jayarame Gowda R said.

It is a good sign as the tiger population in the reserve will go up further, he said.

The cubs are believed to be four to five months old, an official said.

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Currently, the NNTR has 12 to 17 tigers, as per the recent All India Tiger Estimation report.

The forest department has also brought two tigresses from the Bramhapuri range and they would be released in the NNTR soon, the official said.

With the sighting of T-4 with four cubs and translocation of two big cats on cards, there would be new challenges before the NNTR management, honorary wildlife warden Sawan Bahekar said.

The authorities have to ensure protection of the cubs and also regularly monitor movement of the two new felines to be released in the reserve, he said.

"There may be some conflict situation and natural threats. The management also requires to make efforts to prevent any man-made threat for the felines. It would also have to be ensured that the tigers stay inside the core areas and do not move out often,” Bahekar said.