DEHRADUN: After migrating from Uttarakhand a year ago, a tiger is returning to its native state after finding no protective shelter in four other states. The tiger left last year and is now returning to Uttarakhand after covering hundreds of kilometres from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Dr Saket Badola, Director of Rajaji Tiger Reserve, told this daily, “This tiger, which migrated from Uttarakhand, is on a long-distance migration, evidenced by the photographs captured in the trap camera in the forest of Renuka in Himachal.”
“The tiger may return to the Rajaji area once the water level of the Yamuna recedes,” Rajaji Tiger Reserve Director Dr Badola said, adding that “long-distance migration and safe return of the tiger through four states shows its genetic superiority.”
“The Himachal Forest Department is constantly monitoring the movement of the tiger, he is completely healthy”, Dr Badola added. Director Dr Badola said, “Himachal Pradesh Forest Department officials have confirmed the sighting of the tiger in the trap camera.”
The return of the tiger to the forests of Himachal Pradesh shows that it is moving towards its previous habitat in RTR.
According to sources in the tiger reserve, “The tiger first crossed the Ganga through the Gauhari and Chilla ranges of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve, and reached the Motichur range of the reserve, after which it was reported in the Simbalwada Wildlife Sanctuary of Paonta-Renuka in February.”
“In May, the tiger was reported to be in Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary in Haryana”, Badola said.
According to wildlife environment and forest ecology experts, “The tendency of male tigers to migrate long distances in search of new habitat is seen as a good sign.”
“Tigers often travel long distances in search of new habitats, during which they adopt if they find the new habitat safe from human intervention and have adequate availability of food and water and other survival criteria. If this is not the case, they return to their previous habitat”, said Badola, director of Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
He added that “the long and uninterrupted migration of the tiger through Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana also indicates that the corridor passing through the four states is alive.”
Dr Badola, who is the brain behind encouraging the tiger population in Uttarakhand, which has the third largest tiger population in the country with 560 tigers in 53 tiger reserves in the country, said, “Initially, the Uttarakhand forest department had installed camera traps after finding tiger footprints.
After this, some more camera traps have also been installed by the Himachal Forest Department to monitor the tiger. Training has also been given to forest personnel by the Uttarakhand Forest Department to handle the situation in a better way. This is to avoid any inconvenience the big cat might face.”
