Sariska tiger couple to have new guest

Sariska tiger couple to have new guest

New Delhi, Oct 30: The tiger couple in Rajasthan’s Sariska Park will have a new guest next month when a tigress will be flown in from neighbouring Ranthambore Tiger Reserve to to give them company.

“The tiger couple reintroduced in July have acclimatised well to the surroundings, making several kills. They are together and we can hear them calling each other.

“Their movement pattern shows they might have mated. Now if everything goes well we hope to introduce a second tigress in Sariska on 3 November,” Rajesh Gopal, member secretary of National Tiger Reserve Conservation told PTI.

The tigress proposed to be translocated to Sariska spread over 881 sq km is being identified.

“Tentatively we have identified two adult radio-collared tigress, one of which will be ferried through chopper. But depending on the situation we might pick a non-radio collared tigress like last time,” Gopal said.

Exuding confidence, he said the process this time will be more smooth and hassle free Two cats were translocated on June 28 and July 4 with the whole operation hogging much limelight.

Gopal was hopeful that the weather would be favourable in early November with winter setting in unlike last time when the operation was carried out amid heavy downpour.

WII Director P R Sinha, senior scientist K Shankar, veterinarian Parag Nigam, Gopal and the Rajasthan Forest Department will carry out the operation with the aid of the Indian Air Force.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=228956

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