Madhya Pradesh park comes alive with birth of seven tiger cubs

Mon, Jun 2 09:34 AM

Bhopal, June 2 (IANS) There is good news for wildlife enthusiasts. Amid reports of declining tiger population nationwide, the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh has announced sighting two tigresses with seven cubs in the last fortnight.

'While a tigress gave birth to four cubs on May 13, another one followed suit on May 21. The birth of these seven healthy cubs has added to the attraction of the Pench National Park,' Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) P.B. Gangopadhyay told IANS.

The Pench National Park is spread over three districts - Seoni and Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh and Nagpur in Maharashtra.

The forest officials came to know about the new cubs in Seoni district, after one of the guards noticed a tigress along with the new arrivals in a den near a water body.

'Possibly it is for the first time that so many cubs have been born in the park in such a short time,' said R.D. Rai, deputy director of the reserve.

'The mothers and the seven cubs are staying in the periphery of around five km in the Karmajhiri range. We have closed the route where the felines have delivered the cubs. A temporary camp has also been put up to monitor the cubs,' he said.

On the population of cubs in the park, Rai said: 'Though it is difficult to give the exact number of cubs at this stage, it is estimated that there are 15 cubs below the age of one year and 19 cubs between the age of 12 and 18 months.'

'Conditions congenial for wildlife have developed at the Pench National Park at a much faster pace than any other national park. That is the reason why wild animals and birds are multiplying in the natural way,' said Forest Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah.

'While both carnivores and herbivores can be spotted any time and anywhere in the park, the birth of seven tiger cubs has infused new life,' he said.

'The park at present has 33 adult tigers, according to the joint wildlife study conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India in association with the forest department in the state,' said Gangopadhyay.

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