The tiger relocated in Sariska, Rajasthan is all set to roar again and this time the male will also have some company. The male tiger was the first to be relocated in the forest and after much concerns about his getting used to the new home it seems that he has finally settled down. A couple of days earlier the tiger hunted and savoured its fist prey, a baby deer. On the 4th of July arrangements were made to give some company to the male tiger. A three and a half year old tigress was also relocated in the region. Even though she was not the first choice for the lone tiger at Sariska, there are hopes that this blind date will turn out to be lucrative.
The forest officials said that relocation and rehabilitation plans for the male tiger had been for another tigress but then the second tigress was chosen for the project in Ranthambore. The tigress was put the radio collar for high frequency range and was then transferred from the Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter to the forests commented Parmesh Chandra, the additional chief secretary and part of the group that escorted the tigress. Other accompaniments of the tigress were chairman of the technical committee of the state government's wildlife board V P Singh and veterinary doctor Dr Parag Nigam.
The teams in the Ranthambore forests had been spending the entire night to plan out the process of tranquilising the tigress so that a mate for the lone tiger could be found. The tigress was seen last week and they recognised her as a young mother who had litters. It was spotter again while dragging a kill and it gave the apt opportunity to aim the hip and tranquilise the tigress. The tigress was then taken in the IAF helicopter and put in a cage and then flown to Sariska. She was put in an enclosure at Nayapani which was yards away from the male. The tigress has been doing well in spite of being tranquilised. She was more alert than the tiger and the Wildlife Institute of India are strictly monitoring actions of both the animals.
In the meanwhile the male tiger also settled down in his new habitat and had started making regular kills also. Earlier it was just hiding behind bushes but for the past couple of days it has been moving besides the blinds of the enclosure. This also reflects as a sign for the tiger trying to mark its new territory and wanting to get out. The tiger will also be realised in a day or two followed by the female tigress. This will also ensure that the two do not indulge in a territorial fight. The project seems to be going well and hopefully Ranthambore will hear tiger growls again after the last tigers had been poached in the year 2004. The team plans to relocate more tigers as the first pair settle down and raise hopes for a rise in tiger population in India.
