PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Ramnagar
The second phase of shifting tigers from Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) to Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR) is set to begin soon. Following approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Government of India, the Corbett administration has started preparations for the translocation of five tigers—one male and four females—to the western zone of Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
Speaking of the matter, the director, CTR, Saket Badola said that the translocation is aimed at improving the tiger population and distribution in Rajaji. “At the same time, the Corbett administration is assessing sensitive areas where the presence of tigers near human settlements could potentially lead to human-wildlife conflict in the future,” he added.
In the first phase, five tigers, including two males and three females, were shifted from Corbett to the eastern zone of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. Five more tigers will now be selected for translocation to the western zone.
The Corbett administration sources said that they are currently assessing different areas to identify suitable tigers for the second phase of translocation. Once selected, the tigers will be tranquilised by an expert team and then undergo necessary health examinations and other procedures before being fitted with radio collars following which the animals will be transported safely to Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
Badola further said that the tigers would not be released into the forest immediately upon reaching Rajaji. “They will initially be kept in an enclosure for around three to four days to allow them to acclimatise to the new environment to be subsequently released into the forest through a soft-release process. However, things will not end here. Monitoring will continue even after their release. The radio collars will enable forest officials to track their movements and activities for around three months. This will help the authorities assess how the translocated tigers are adapting to their new habitat,” he added.
According to Badola, the second phase of the translocation is aimed not only at improving tiger conservation and distribution in Rajaji but also at reducing the possibility of future human-wildlife conflict in sensitive areas of Corbett.
