Centre clears relocation of big cats; cooler weather awaited

Jaipur: With all paperwork finalised and formal permission granted under Section 12 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, on March 25, the state forest department is now awaiting the end of summer to begin the long-awaited interstate translocation of tigers to Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve (RVTR) and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR).

According to the order issued by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), a copy of which is with TOI, the approval clears the way for relocating three female tigers from Madhya Pradesh. Two of them will be sent to RVTR and one to MHTR. This clearance follows a proposal submitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden of Madhya Pradesh seeking permission to capture and translocate ten tigers—two males and eight females—from tiger reserves of Kanha, Pench and Bandhavgarh to Rajasthan, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

"Since translocation exercises are typically avoided during periods of extreme heat to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the animals, we are preparing to initiate the process as soon as weather conditions become favourable. Until then, necessary arrangements at these reserves are being made," said a senior forest department official.

For Rajasthan, the nod from MoEFCC marks a significant step forward. While RVTR is a newly designated tiger reserve awaiting its first big cats from another landscape to improve genetic diversity, MHTR has faced setbacks in previous reintroduction efforts. Both forest department officials and conservationists hope this initiative will mark a turning point in the revival of these reserves.

Environmentalists, however, alleged that despite the permission being granted, some senior officials are creating obstacles due to internal conflicts over credit. Tapeshwar Singh Bhati, a green activist, said, "Permission was received on March 25, but not much was done on the ground. Moreover, a senior official wrote that the prey base in MHTR is insufficient, which appears to be a deliberate attempt to delay the process."

The Chief Wildlife Warden has been instructed to submit regular quarterly reports to the ministry. Reports from earlier studies that previously received the ministry's approval must also be submitted before seeking further translocation permissions.

"The ministry has also made it clear that in the event of any mishap that endangers the safety of the tigers, the permission granted may be reviewed or revoked. This is why the department is proceeding very carefully to ensure the project's success," said an official of the forest department.

Jaipur: With all paperwork finalised and formal permission granted under Section 12 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, on March 25, the state forest department is now awaiting the end of summer to begin the long-awaited interstate translocation of tigers to Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve (RVTR) and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR).

According to the order issued by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), a copy of which is with TOI, the approval clears the way for relocating three female tigers from Madhya Pradesh. Two of them will be sent to RVTR and one to MHTR. This clearance follows a proposal submitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden of Madhya Pradesh seeking permission to capture and translocate ten tigers—two males and eight females—from tiger reserves of Kanha, Pench and Bandhavgarh to Rajasthan, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

"Since translocation exercises are typically avoided during periods of extreme heat to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the animals, we are preparing to initiate the process as soon as weather conditions become favourable. Until then, necessary arrangements at these reserves are being made," said a senior forest department official.

For Rajasthan, the nod from MoEFCC marks a significant step forward. While RVTR is a newly designated tiger reserve awaiting its first big cats from another landscape to improve genetic diversity, MHTR has faced setbacks in previous reintroduction efforts. Both forest department officials and conservationists hope this initiative will mark a turning point in the revival of these reserves.

Environmentalists, however, alleged that despite the permission being granted, some senior officials are creating obstacles due to internal conflicts over credit. Tapeshwar Singh Bhati, a green activist, said, "Permission was received on March 25, but not much was done on the ground. Moreover, a senior official wrote that the prey base in MHTR is insufficient, which appears to be a deliberate attempt to delay the process."

The Chief Wildlife Warden has been instructed to submit regular quarterly reports to the ministry. Reports from earlier studies that previously received the ministry's approval must also be submitted before seeking further translocation permissions.

"The ministry has also made it clear that in the event of any mishap that endangers the safety of the tigers, the permission granted may be reviewed or revoked. This is why the department is proceeding very carefully to ensure the project's success," said an official of the forest department.