Two Orphaned Tiger Cubs In Maharashtra Begin 'Rewilding' In Pench Tiger Reserve
The two tiger cubs became orphans after their mother, PKT-7, died last month. The two cubs were moved to Pench Tiger Reserve for ¡®rewilding¡¯.
Forest officials in Maharashtra have started the 'rewilding' of two tiger cubs rescued from the Pandharkawada forest range in the Yavatmal district last month.
The two tiger cubs became orphans after their mother, tigress PKT-7, died last month.
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Tiger cubs get a second wild chance
The tiger cubs were rescued on March 14 from Ghatanji forest, a few weeks after the death of their mother.
Earlier this week, the two cubs were moved to Pench Tiger Reserve for "rewilding".
According to a release by Prabhu Nath Shukla, deputy director of Pench Tiger Reserve-Maharashtra, the 8-month-old tiger cubs were on Wednesday released into the Titralmangi enclosure at the protected forest for rewilding.
Both the cubs are healthy and freely roaming inside the enclosure, said the release, adding that the rewilding will be carried out as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
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NTCA is a statutory body constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act for strengthening tiger conservation in the country.
Pench, a tiger reserve spread across two states
Primarily located in the southern part of Madhya Pradesh, the Pench Tiger Reserve also spreads across 257 square kilometres in Maharashtra.
According to the latest data, Pench (MP) had a tiger population of 87 in 2018, while on the Maharashtra side, the big cat count stood at 44 in 2021.
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How is rewilding of tigers carried out
Rewilding involves the reintroduction of a tiger cub into the wild when it becomes apparent that the big cat can survive in the jungle independently.
To make them capable of hunting and fending for themselves, the tiger cubs will be introduced into a near-wild environment, where they can learn the necessary skills before reintroducing to the natural forest.
According to the SOP of the NTCA, such tigers should be kept in enclosures made of prefabricated material, which can be removed easily for rewilding.
The location for rewilding should have sufficient groundwater or should be close to a water source, as a substantial amount shall be needed to maintain the premise.
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It also states that a 'critical distance' should be maintained from the tigers as violating this distance would elicit a response that may result in them becoming dependent on humans.
In the rewilding of tiger cubs, restoring the behaviour relating to critical distance (wilding) is essential to ensuring complete seclusion from human beings and their associates.
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Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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