Abandoned tiger cubs vanish from hiding spot in India. Trail cams give answers
A forest ranger at a tiger reserve in India received an urgent call in late April from staff members of the anti-poaching team.
They had discovered two tiger cubs tucked in a bush in a woodland area inside Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, according to a report written by range forest officer Nayan Jyoti Gogoi and shared May 19 with McClatchy News.
Concerned about the vulnerability of the cubs, Gogoi and his team made the journey to the remote area to evaluate the cubs and determine if they would need to be bottle fed, according to the report.
While there had been no sighting of the mother, the team had to 'exercise utmost caution' in case she was nearby, as tigresses are known for their protective nature around cubs, the report said.
When the team arrived at the site, they found only one cub resting in the dense undergrowth, with 'no sign of the second cub,' according to the report.
The team searched for 'pugmarks,' or footprints, but were unable to find any in the dense ground cover, Gogoi said.
A foul smell led to the discover of a cow carcass, 'suggesting the tigress may have stockpiled food' before giving birth, experts said.
Dr. Panjit Basumatary, a wildlife veterinarian experienced in rescue and rehabilitation, confirmed this was common behavior, adding that the mother may have already moved one cub to a new location and would likely return for the other, according to the report.
The team set up three camera traps on different trails in hopes of recording the tigress. They also deployed security teams to seal off entry to the forest to prevent any human interference, Gogoi said.
The team was advised early on the morning of May 2 that if the tigress had not returned, the cub should be given a bottle with a glucose solution.
They returned to the site, 'praying silently for the cub's safety,' and the cub was gone, Gogoi said. Tracks near the bush indicated it may have been the tigress, according to the report.
To the relief of the team, footage from the camera traps confirmed the mother returned to the spot the day before and left carrying the cub in her mouth, the report said.
'A mother's care is the best care,' Basumatary told Gogoi after learning the good news.
'This is a successful case of a tigress coming back to retrieve her cub and reunite, which is certainly the first such documented case in the northeast, if not in the country,' Basumatary told The Assam Tribune.
Field Director Dr. Sonali Ghosh called the reunion 'a successful example of field-based conservation, teamwork, and scientifically guided wildlife management,' according to the release.
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve is in eastern India near Arunachal Pradesh, a disputed region in the Himalayan mountains along the India-China border. Although India controls the region, both India and China claim it.
The region is about 1,300 miles east of New Delhi and about 3,500 miles southwest of Shanghai.
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