Tiger translocation to resume from Corbett to Rajaji in Uttarakhand
The translocation initiative is part of efforts to repopulate Rajaji Tiger Reserve’s western part, which is home to two tigresses that have not reported breeding in almost a decade
Uttarakhand’s tiger relocation project, which was suspended during the monsoon, will be resumed with the translocation of another tiger and tigress from the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) to Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR). On December 24 last year, a tigress, and on January 9, a tiger was relocated from CTR to RTR. The tiger ran away from its enclosure a few days after its relocation.
JS Suhag, Uttarakhand’s chief wildlife warden, said the translocation project was briefly stopped as it was breeding season and they did not want to disturb the animals. He added it also becomes difficult to venture into these tiger reserves during the monsoon.
“Now our team is in Corbett to select a tiger pair to be translocated to Rajaji Tiger Reserve soon. Under this project, five tigers will be translocated.”
The translocation initiative is part of efforts to repopulate RTR’s western part, which is home to two tigresses that have not reported breeding in almost a decade.
Also Read: Tiger kills man in Dudhwa buffer zone
The Centre approved the translocation in 2016. In September 2019, a National Tiger Conservation Authority team visited RTR for reconnaissance for the exercise. The team suggested the release of tigers in a large, enclosed area for a few days to see whether they suffer from any diseases before completely releasing them in the wild.
RTR had around 37 tigers with only two tigresses in its western part before the translocation began. The reserve has a capacity for 83 tigers. The eastern and the western parts of the reserve are divided by a busy traffic corridor making it difficult for the tigers to move between them.