JAIPUR: A growing man-animal conflict around Ranthambore has compelled the Rajasthan Government to finally decide to shift some tigers from the Ranthambore National Park, known as the finest for spotting the big cats in the country.
The program is at its first level currently and Forest officials say that they have initiated the process to get the permission of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Sources in the forest department say that the process will begin soon with six tigers being initially shifted to another reserve.
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In this context, The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest ( PCCF ) has asked forest officials of Sariska, Mukundra and Ramgarh forest reserve for the requirements of keeping tigers. The replies are awaited after which the next steps will be taken.
PCCF Rajasthan Arindam Singh Tomar speaking to The New Indian Express said that "the number of tigers are increasing all over the country and that is creating a lot of pressure on all tiger parks, especially Ranthambore."
He added that "the NTCA has agreed for us to send the proposal for shifting tigers from Ranthambore. The NTCA will examine our proposal and if they find it justified, then we will do it quickly ."
Due to the lack of space in Ranthambore, tigers had started attacking humans and they were also getting into territorial fights with other tigers.
Three people have been killed and one injured in the last month in Sawai Madhopur and nearby districts.
Along with that, two tigers died in the park this year from territorial fights. In the Dangarwada Village at Ranthambore National Park, an 11-year boy, Neeraj, was killed by a Tiger on Monday. His mother was performing farming activity and the child was sitting near her when suddenly the tiger attacked him. The mother also got injured while trying to help her child.
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In similar incidences, on September 12, a 30-year old man was killed by a tiger in Semar Bagh Village of Karuli District, on September 21, a 50-year old Chiranjiv Gurjar was killed in Fariya village of Khandar area of Sawai Madhopur and on September 22, Pintu Gujjar from the same village, was injured in a tiger attack.
Wildlife experts also believe that there is an interference of tourists throughout the day which causes irritation amongst tigers. Moreover, tigers are not able to mate during the breeding season and venture into residential areas. There have been 19 incidents of tigers going out of the forest area in the current year.
Ranthambore reserve has a core area of 392 sq km with a buffer zone of 1,342 sq km. Of the total area of little over 1,700 sq km in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, only 600 sq km can be used by tigers.
The park has a total of 71 tigers, including 27 male 24 female cats and 20 cubs. According to wildlife experts a male tiger requires an area of approximately 25 sq km and female about 15 sq km, clearly showing how there is a space crunch for tigers.
According to the forest officials, in the initial phase, tigers will be sent from Ranthambore to Kota's Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserves, Alwar's Sariska and Boondi's Ramgarh Reserve. The plan is to shift two tigers each to these reserves, which will include one male and one female tiger.