COIMBATORE: Forest officials nursed to health an eight-month-old male tiger which was rescued at Mudis estate in Valparai on September 28. The cub, which was being maintained in a cage at Rottikadai wildlife rescue centre in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR), has been shifted to a bigger closure in Manthirimattam in the Manombolly forest range.
A team removed an 8 cm long porcupine quill from the right forelimb of the animal and treated it for infection. Chief Wildlife warden Shekhar Kumar Neeraj said, “ATR officials have shifted the animal to Manomboly where there is less human interference and no vehicular movement. The presence of porcupine quills indicated that the animal was accompanied by his mother and was feeding upon prey. Despite a thorough check of the surroundings, we could not trace the mother tiger.”
Sources said the cub consumed around 300 grams of meat and drank less quantity of water. With his condition improving, he is eating up to five to six kg of meat. The animal is frequently discharging scat and urination indicating that his overall health is improving.
An expert committee formed to monitor the cub has recommended that it be shifted to a bigger enclosure and maintained with less human imprint till it is two years old. It also recommended that a radio collar be fixed on the tiger during the release to track its movement.
S Ramasubramanian, field director of ATR, told TNIE “We have sought technical advice from experienced scientists of wildlife institute of India, Field Directors of Periyar Tiger Reserve and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve for setting up a larger enclosure. As of now, the animal is responding well to treatment. The cub is able to eat bones and meat and can easily adapt if live baits are provided for stimulating the natural instinct. We have planned soft release after a short period of observation in a larger enclosure.”