The birth of two tiger cubs in the Kailadevi wildlife sanctuary of Rajasthan's Karauli district recently has gladdened wildlife enthusiasts across the country, but it also points to a space crunch in the wildlife habitats which has forced the big cats to move out of the main area of Ranthambore National Park on their own.
Tigress T-92 was spotted with two cubs, both about three and a half months old, at Ninder Ki Khoh near Mandrayal last week. The tiger cubs have been born in Kailadevi after nearly three decades. The four-and-a-half-year-old T-92 and male T-72, also known as Sultan, with whom it mated, are among the four tigers that have moved from Ranthambhore to Kailadevi.
Territorial disputes
Forest authorities say overpopulation of tigers in Ranthambore National Park had led to territorial disputes, because of which the big cats were making frequent movements to the adjacent Kailadevi wildlife reserve, which had a size of 676 sq. km. T-72 migrated from Sultanpur area of Ranthambore to Mandrayal, when it was threatened by another tiger.
The area of new births comprises scrub forest having isolated water sources and is surrounded by villagers and livestock settled in isolated pockets. Located in the Vindhya hill zone, the wildlife reserve has a rocky terrain with slopes, ravines and cave-like depressions, all clad with scanty shrubs and bushes. The banyan and peepal trees offer shade and shelter to tigers.
A Ranthambore tigress has given litter outside the main national park area for the first time. Kailadevi's area has been officially included in about 400 sq. km area of Sawai Madhopur district's Ranthambore to develop it as a national park with more than 1,000 sq. km area.
Lacking support system
Tourism and Wildlife Society of India honorary secretary Harsh Vardhan said here on Tuesday that the migration of tigers was a “clear indication” that Ranthambore lacked the basic support system for being administered as a designated tiger reserve. The national park had insufficient forest staff, he said.
However, the birth of tiger cubs in Kailadevi had proved that tigers could live along with the villagers and their livestock in a habitat which did not offer much of the natural prey base of sambar, spotted deer, wild boar, etc., said Mr. Vardhan. “As Ranthambore's main area is unable to accommodate newborn cubs, tigers are exploring new places for their families,” he said.
Earlier this month, Ranthambore's male tiger T-91 was relocated to the protected Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve in Kota district. The tiger had been exploring new territories and living in the peripheral forests near Bundi for the last few months.
