Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh is likely to give 11 tigers to three states namely Odisha, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh after the monsoon. This will possibly be the first time that around a dozen tigers will be given by a state to other states.
Interacting with the Free Press, additional principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) L Krishnamurthy said that 11 tigers were supposed to be given to Odisha, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. “So far, we are waiting for the demand from these states. Most probably, it would be after the monsoon that the felines would be given to them”.
Sources in the forest department said that the tigers were to be selected from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and some other tiger reserves of the state.
When contacted, deputy director, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Prakash Kumar Verma said, “ At least three tigers are to be translocated from Bandhavgarh. We have asked the range teams to look out for the felines which fulfill the criteria of the translocation process.
As per the criteria, the tigress should have given at least one litter (birth to cubs) so that it should have the experience of raising the cubs and the feline should be a sub adult”.
Like Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, some tigers are to be translocated from Pench Tiger Reserve. Deputy director of Pench Tiger Reserve, Rajnish Singh said that directions were received to identify the tigers for translocation. At least three tigers would be translocated from Pench.
The other reserve which has a burgeoning population of tigers is Kanha Tiger Reserve and some tigers are likely to be translocated from here.
Sources added that before going for translocation of tigers, the preparedness of other states would also be assessed.
