Sariska gets a tiger to start a new chapter

The Indian Express , Sunday, June 29, 2008
Correspondent : Neha Sinha
Four-year-old male weighing 220 kg is airlifted from Ranthambore to an enclosure in Sariska

Sariska, June 28:At 1.12 pm on Saturday, it stretched, walked the ground of Sariska, and then turned around to look at those who brought it from Ranthambore to its new home.

A 220 kg, four-year-old male tiger from Ranthambore was today translocated to Sariska in a hope that it forms the parent stock for cubs-to-be in the Sariska tiger reserve, which 2004 on, lost all its tigers to poaching and habitat destruction as first reported in The Sunday Express.

The transfer delayed due to rain and thick cloud cover, the tiger was brought to Sariska at 12.25 pm in an Indian Air Force helicopter — the flight lasted 40 minutes — by Wing Commander Vimal Raj and his team from the IAF. Also with them was a team from the Wildlife Institute of India which is in charge of the operation, Rajpal Singh, member of the Rajasthan Empowered Committee, and Chief Wildlife Warden R Mehrotra.

The tiger, set to be perhaps the most monitored young tiger that India has seen, was airlifted in a custom-made crate, and was released in an 100 m by 100 m enclosure inside Sariska (which also has its prey base in it). It will be released in the wild depending on its response.

To minimize the honing instinct of the animal back to Ranthambore (this tiger had its territory in the Northern part of Ranthambore near Anantpura), a bright yellow sheet has been placed around the enclosure to prevent it from looking outside. It is also fitted with a radiocollar that can be monitored through a ground-tracking receiver as well as through a satellite.

A tigress will similarly be translocated, most probably next week. WII is looking at a long term plan of relocating tigers here. “We will study the response and behaviour of the tigers. In the second phase, we hope to translocate another tiger and tigress from Ranthambore to Sariska in the next two years. The ratio we will try to achieve is three females to two males. Ideally, we are looking at supplementation of one individual every one-two years. We have conducted scientific simulation models to study whether Sariska can support tigers and have found that the biodiversity and prey species here is very conducive for tigers,” said P R Sinha, Director, WII.

There are, however, problems. One of which was most visible today — heavy traffic towards Pandupole, an ancient temple located in the heart of the core area, 22 km from the main park entrance. Entry to this temple is free on Saturdays and Fridays for devotees. The Sunday Express found hundreds of vehicles, including buses, motorcycles and brightly coloured cars moving towards Pandupole. At places inside the reserve, there were actually traffic jams at hairpin bends. The one-lane road was converted to two lanes by cars mowing down undergrowth.

“This is a very delicate issue. We have to tread very cautiously. We are working on a proposal for the Pandupole issue. We are considering allowing only a pooled community vehicle to go inside the Reserve. Profits from this can be utilized by the local Eco Development Community,” says a senior official from the Forest Department. He admits, however, that much will be based on the response of people to this scheme and that it is unlikely to take off until at least a year.

 
SOURCE : The Indian Express Sunday, June 29, 2008
 


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