20-05-2025
Forest officials finalise relocation of tiger cubs amid fatalities in Ranthambore
Plans to relocate the three Arrowhead tiger cubs individually to one of the three tiger reserves - Mukundura Hills, Ramgarh Vishdhari, or Karauli-Dholpur, are being finalised, forest officials said.
Earlier plans to move Kankati, the cub of Tigress Arrowhead, to a biological reserve have been abandoned.
The decision comes in wake of a tragic incident on May 11, when a forest ranger was fatally attacked inside Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR). Officials now suspect that the same tiger may also have been responsible for the death of a 7-year-old boy on April 16 in a nearby area. Preliminary investigations point to one of Tigress Arrowhead's approximately 20-month-old cubs to be likely involved.
Commenting on the relocation plan, former RTR field director Manoj Parashar said, 'It's a good move, but the behavior of the tigress and her cubs needs close monitoring.'
Also Read: Same tiger behind ranger's death and April 16 child attack at Ranthambore: Official
A senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) official familiar with the situation shed light on the challenges facing Ranthambore.
'Big cats are currently concentrated in Zones 2, 3, and 4 due to the abundance of water bodies and grasslands there,' he explained.
'Improving the habitat and developing more grasslands will encourage a more uniform distribution of tigers across the reserve', he said.
He also noted that tigers are naturally dispersing toward the Dholpur and Ramgarh-Vishdhari reserves.
The official raised concerns about the large number of devotees visiting temples within the reserve. Apart from the Ganesh Temple, there are nearly 150 smaller temples spread across RTR.
'Strict regulations are necessary — no permission for cooking inside the reserve, and movement should be restricted to forest vehicles only,' he said.
Addressing the increasing tiger population, the official explained that the wild population is largely self-regulating.
Cautioning against excessive interference, he added, 'Relocating a tiger creates territorial vacancies that trigger fierce battles, often fatal, among other tigers competing for the space. Forced interventions can disrupt this natural order.'
Parashar also pointed to the dense vegetation in Zones 2 and 3 — the area between the fort and Jogi Mahal — as a major factor contributing to the recent fatal attacks.
'These are some of the highest tiger-density zones, and tigers need shade in summer,' he said.
'However, the thick undergrowth severely limits visibility, increasing the risk of surprise encounters', he added.
He explained that after Tigress Arrowhead fell ill, she and her cubs were baited in this area, leading the cubs to grow accustomed to human presence — a dangerous habituation.
'The vegetation needs thinning — not tree felling, but removal of shrubs and undergrowth. Tigers stalk before attacking; better visibility can help prevent such attacks', he said.
