Other States - Rajasthan   

Tiger reserve waiting for some ‘cosy’ news

JAIPUR: The Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan’s Alwar district awaits action from its two felines now roaming the 881 square km expanse as the rare feat of re-introducing wild tigers completed six months early this month. The cats -- one male and one female -- are reported to be comfortable in their new terrain after their transfer by air from the Ranthambhore National Park but to the consternation of the park lovers and the authorities they have not done much to help their tribe increase!

“One welcome development is that now they are found together. Whether their proximity would deliver results is yet to be seen,” said the Field Director of the Park, P.S. Somashekar, talking to this correspondent on phone from Sariska over the weekend. A sense of relief in his voice was all too discernible considering that the tigers had kept away from themselves at least for the first three months after their re-introduction into the reserve, which had lost all its wild tigers some time in 2004-05.

There is further good news with an enthusiastic Divisional Forest Officer, Sunayan Sharma, vouchsafing sighting them cosying up to each other a few days ago though Mr. Somashekar would like to play safe in this regard.

“Mr. Sharma reported sighting them together that way but we cannot say anything about the results,” he said while ruing the fact that the cats, presently in Darunda block, are getting together and departing at regular intervals.

Perhaps the experiment cannot wait forever for the present couple to warm up to each other as the introduction of a third tiger into the park is overdue. In fact, the teams from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun, had been in Ranthambhore two months back trying to pick up the third tiger (second female tiger) to airlift it to Sariska but the mission failed as the right tiger could not be spotted on time.

Thereafter the model code of conduct introduced for the Rajasthan Assembly elections came in the way of the new tiger.

“Now we are in a position to renew the attempt. As soon as we get the green signal from the authorities we can carry out the operation,” Mr. Somashekar said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Rajasthan to recruit Sanskrit, Urdu teachers
Tiger reserve waiting for some ‘cosy’ news
Gehlot calls for early setting up of new nuclear plant

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu