PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Ramnagar
The Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) is once again preparing to translocate tigers to Rajaji Tiger Reserve as part of an ongoing effort to strengthen the tiger population there. This time, three tigresses and two tigers will be shifted. Priority will be given to young tigers that frequently move in forest areas adjoining human habitations. The initiative is expected to not only boost Rajaji’s tiger population but also help reduce human-wildlife conflict around Corbett, said senior Forest officials.
They further claimed that thanks to the effective conservation measures and scientific management, the tiger population in Corbett has been steadily increasing. The reserve currently has an estimated 260 tigers and the latest assessment is expected to set a new record. Meanwhile, Rajaji Tiger Reserve has been implementing a long-term tiger augmentation programme through translocation.
Speaking of the matter, the CTR director Saket Badola said that the reserve is identifying tigers and tigresses whose movements are largely confined to forests close to human settlements. The selected animals will be tranquilised by a team of wildlife experts and transported in specially designed vehicles before being released in the western part of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. Rajaji currently has an estimated 55 tigers, he added.
Notably, the translocation programme began in 2020. Upon receiving approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the first tiger was translocated from Corbett to Rajaji on December 24, 2020. Since then, a total of five tigers and tigresses have been relocated in phases.
One of the tigresses shifted from Corbett later gave birth to four cubs in Rajaji. However, two of these cubs were reportedly killed by a leopard, while the forest officials continue to monitor and trace the remaining two. Of the tigers previously translocated from Corbett, three have moved beyond their designated release areas, and their presence within Rajaji is now recorded only occasionally.
Wildlife experts believe that if the current phase is successful, it will mark another significant step towards establishing a stable and healthy tiger population in Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
