10 tigers from PTR to be relocated to deal with man-animal conflict

In view of the increasing incidents of man-animal conflict in the Terai region, the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) has decided to relocate some 10 tigers from the region.

The PTR authorities' proposal has been approved by the principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) of UP, Sunil Pandey, who said, "We will be seeking technical and scientific support from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, World Wide Fund for Nature and Wildlife Trust of India as and when needed."

According to H Rajamohan, field director of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, "The process will start within two or three days with precise estimation of total tiger population in Amaria area through photos captured by camera traps. As reports have revealed inter-region movement of transient tigers of Uttarakhand's East Terai forest division up to the agricultural belt of Amaria block, we will segregate them after making their proper identification through the data base of tiger pictures available with the WII."

A tigress with three cubs had migrated from PTR's Mahof forest range to Amaria way back in November 2012. Since then, the tiger population has proliferated in the area and is estimated to have risen to 10, a number that many tiger reserves across the country cannot boast of.

The addition of each tiger means expansion of big cat territory, posing a threat to the farming community in the area.

The authorities plan to capture two tigers at a time. The captured tigers will be kept in special enclosures -- one each in a 15-hectare area in Mala and Mahof forest ranges -- for a period of at least two years to get them to acclimatize to their new surroundings, the field director said.

"Due to availability of limited space, we will be able to trap only two Amaria tigers at a time," said Rajamohan.

After the two years, these tigers will be fitted with radio collars, translocated and released into new locations with environmental similarity with the Terai belt of UP.

The aim is to ensure that they do not come in contact with any human being and the imprint of human contact is wiped out from their memory. IANS