Sariska to get another tigress

During the previous translocation, the Rajasthan Government, eager to stick to the deadline of the much publicised programme, went ahead with the trapping, darting and airlifting of the animals despite heavy rainfall, and even as experts advised that tranquilising a big animal like the tiger should not be done in summers. The translocation this time is organised keeping in mind the peak mating season of tigers, which commences between November and February.

“WII’s Species Recovery Plan consisted of translocating two tigers and three tigresses to Sariska over 2008 and 2009. The second tigress will be kept in an enclosure and will be released after she gets used to her surroundings. We had identified this adult tigress in June. The entire process of darting and transportation should take three hours,” says K Sankar, WII scientist.

As reported by The Indian Express, Sariska lost all its tigers to poaching in 2004.

The procedure this time is expected to be smoother, as the tigress was identified and radiocollared in June, and the team has gained unprecedented insights into tiger psychology. The pair has been monitored daily through radio telemetry. Just as the previous exercise, the tigress will be airlifted in an Indian Air Force MI 17 helicopter over 200 km from Ranthambore to Sariska.

“The translocation was a milestone in tiger conservation, and we have learnt aspects of tiger behaviour, the frequency of kills and male-female interaction,” said Rajesh Gopal, member secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority.