Dead Ranthambore tigress’s cubs may be moved to Sariska

Two months after a tiger and a tigress were airlifted to Sariska from Ranthambore, officials have found a new role for the soft release enclosures made for the pair. The Ranthambhore cubs, less than a year old, will, in all probability be moved to Sariska.The tigress, who probably died two days ago, had pug marks of cubs near her body, which suggest the cubs are nearby.

"We have to find the cubs and see what state they are in," says Rajasthan Chief Wildlife Warden R N Mehrotra. The Forest Department said post-mortem would ascertain whether the tigress died in a territorial fight or in a case of poisoning. Ranthambore, which has a high influx of cattle and subsequent kills by tigers, has had cases of tigers being poisoned to avoid cattle deaths.

"The reason for the tigress's death is unclear, but there is a dominant male in the area and he is likely to endanger the cubs," said Rajesh Gopal, Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority.

The ‘soft release’ implied that the tigers were to be kept in the enclosures till they got used to the area and then released. "We can use the same enclosures for the cubs as they cannot survive in the wild," Gopal added.