Bartering males for females can secure four populations.
A sudden whiff of reforms is wafting through the stuffy cubicles of conservation. The
welcome moves have come not only from courts and communities but also from
monolithic sarkari establishments.
welcome moves have come not only from courts and communities but also from
monolithic sarkari establishments.
Since 2007, when India made conservation history by airlifting big cats to Sariska that had
lost all its tigers to poaching by 2004, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have resisted intermixing of sub-populations of
tigers in the name of preserving genetic purity. The government not only stonewalled
suggestions of sourcing a few big cats from Madhya Pradesh but in its hurry picked up
siblings from Ranthambore to build a new population in Sariska.
lost all its tigers to poaching by 2004, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have resisted intermixing of sub-populations of
tigers in the name of preserving genetic purity. The government not only stonewalled
suggestions of sourcing a few big cats from Madhya Pradesh but in its hurry picked up
siblings from Ranthambore to build a new population in Sariska.
Even after a genetic disaster was averted by the tragic poisoning of the male sibling,
Sariska’s founder population of anyway closely-related Ranthambore tigers has been
struggling to breed in their new home. It took the authorities six years to swallow their
pride and attempt a course correction. Last month, the National Tiger Conservation
Authority (NTCA) wrote to Madhya Pradesh, requesting to send a few tigers to salvage
the Sariska population.
Sariska’s founder population of anyway closely-related Ranthambore tigers has been
struggling to breed in their new home. It took the authorities six years to swallow their
pride and attempt a course correction. Last month, the National Tiger Conservation
Authority (NTCA) wrote to Madhya Pradesh, requesting to send a few tigers to salvage
the Sariska population.
Soon after, the Supreme Court ended the two-decade long impasse on translocation of
lions by ordering Gujarat to spare a few prides from Gir for Kuno-Palpur in Madhya
Pradesh where a second population will secure the species against threats of sudden
extinction in an epidemic or natural calamity. While the state may yet file a review petition,
the court’s emphatic stand on the issue is good news for conservation as is its rejection of
the exotic cheetah introduction project in favour of resuscitating indigenous species such as
the great Indian bustard and the wild buffalo.
lions by ordering Gujarat to spare a few prides from Gir for Kuno-Palpur in Madhya
Pradesh where a second population will secure the species against threats of sudden
extinction in an epidemic or natural calamity. While the state may yet file a review petition,
the court’s emphatic stand on the issue is good news for conservation as is its rejection of
the exotic cheetah introduction project in favour of resuscitating indigenous species such as
the great Indian bustard and the wild buffalo.
Meanwhile, in a welcome break from the usual community resistance to demarcation of
any wildlife area, residents of Kota district cheered the Rajasthan government’s decision
to notify Mukundra hills as the state’s third tiger reserve. While it is not clear if the local
communities are as enthusiastic as the rest of the district about having a tiger reserve in
the neighbourhood, which invariably involves certain restrictions, what is unique about
the state government’s move is that Mukundra is the country’s first designated tiger
reserve without a single tiger.
any wildlife area, residents of Kota district cheered the Rajasthan government’s decision
to notify Mukundra hills as the state’s third tiger reserve. While it is not clear if the local
communities are as enthusiastic as the rest of the district about having a tiger reserve in
the neighbourhood, which invariably involves certain restrictions, what is unique about
the state government’s move is that Mukundra is the country’s first designated tiger
reserve without a single tiger.
Evidently, Rajasthan has to airlift tigers from Ranthambore to establish a satellite population in
Mukundra if it is to live up to its promotion.
Ranthambore has already sent eight tigers to
Sariska but a population boom in recent years means
it still has enough to outsource to Mukundra. In fact,
such an opportunity may help the reserve correct the
exceptionally skewed sex ratio in its tiger population.
Accounting for the tigers sent to Sariska and lost to local
dispersal, Ranthambore’s tiger population currently
stands at 47.
Barring one animal whose gender is not known, the reserve has 24 males and 22 females.
Experts put the ideal male-female ratio of tigers at 1:3, which means Ranthambore is
disturbingly high on males. Tigers, however, are not encumbered by these theories on
ground and Ranthambore’s big cats have been making the most of the crunch.
dispersal, Ranthambore’s tiger population currently
stands at 47.
Barring one animal whose gender is not known, the reserve has 24 males and 22 females.
Experts put the ideal male-female ratio of tigers at 1:3, which means Ranthambore is
disturbingly high on males. Tigers, however, are not encumbered by these theories on
ground and Ranthambore’s big cats have been making the most of the crunch.
A male tiger’s range usually covers that of 2-4 tigresses, but only one of Ranthambore’s 12
adult males now has more than one female in its territory. Understandably, the tigers are
sticking to an ‘untigerly’ monogamous routine, barring the occasional tryst with some nifty
tigresses that occasionally sneak out of their respective male’s territory looking for
temporary partners.
The arrangement seems to be working at Ranthambore and there have been no serious
fights among the 12 adult males over females yet. But with another dozen growing up to
challenge the seniors, deadly infighting cannot be ruled out in the near future. Such a
situation may also push a number of male tigers out of Ranthambore, triggering
man-animal conflict around the reserve.
adult males now has more than one female in its territory. Understandably, the tigers are
sticking to an ‘untigerly’ monogamous routine, barring the occasional tryst with some nifty
tigresses that occasionally sneak out of their respective male’s territory looking for
temporary partners.
The arrangement seems to be working at Ranthambore and there have been no serious
fights among the 12 adult males over females yet. But with another dozen growing up to
challenge the seniors, deadly infighting cannot be ruled out in the near future. Such a
situation may also push a number of male tigers out of Ranthambore, triggering
man-animal conflict around the reserve.
But at a time when India’s sarkari conservation establishment is dismounting its high horse,
this unusual sex ratio also presents great opportunities. So far, Madhya Pradesh has
responded to the NTCA’s request for sending tigers to Rajasthan cautiously. While the
state’s political establishment does not seem to be averse to the idea, the MP forest
department has sought the WII’s opinion on the proposal and, it is learnt, wants it to be a
two-way traffic.
this unusual sex ratio also presents great opportunities. So far, Madhya Pradesh has
responded to the NTCA’s request for sending tigers to Rajasthan cautiously. While the
state’s political establishment does not seem to be averse to the idea, the MP forest
department has sought the WII’s opinion on the proposal and, it is learnt, wants it to be a
two-way traffic.
That should suit the male-rich Rajasthan perfectly. While it is never a good idea to disturb
the adult tigers settled in their territories, Ranthambore has seven sub-adult males (2-3-year
old) ready for an exchange programme and another five male cubs as reserve. If Rajasthan
can secure 5-6 tigresses from MP, and possibly also Maharashtra, in exchange for
Ranthambore’s sub-adult males, it can solve three problems at one go.
the adult tigers settled in their territories, Ranthambore has seven sub-adult males (2-3-year
old) ready for an exchange programme and another five male cubs as reserve. If Rajasthan
can secure 5-6 tigresses from MP, and possibly also Maharashtra, in exchange for
Ranthambore’s sub-adult males, it can solve three problems at one go.
Some of these females can be sent to Mukundra and Sariska along with another 2-3 males
from Ranthambore to build and strengthen founder populations. This will certainly help
improve the sex ratio at Ranthambore. At the other end, the exchange can also help MP
and Maharashtra bolster their male tiger populations and add some genetic vigour in
reserves such as Panna or Melghat.
Meanwhile, unrelated to any administrative protocol, a couple of male tigers from
Ranthambore have already ventured into MP’s Kuno-Palpur landscape. A section of MP
forest officials have been egging on the Ranthambore management, half in jest, to ‘push’ a
few tigresses southward too, so that the new entrants can start a family in Kuno.
Ranthambore have already ventured into MP’s Kuno-Palpur landscape. A section of MP
forest officials have been egging on the Ranthambore management, half in jest, to ‘push’ a
few tigresses southward too, so that the new entrants can start a family in Kuno.
On a serious note, such match-making presents yet another opportunity. In return for
males from Ranthambore, Madhya Pradesh could also spare a couple of tigresses from its
more opulent reserves to start a new population at Kuno with the Ranthambore males that
have already settled there. Unless of course, Kuno, excited in anticipation of those
much-awaited prides from Gujarat, consigns its tigers to their celibacy.
males from Ranthambore, Madhya Pradesh could also spare a couple of tigresses from its
more opulent reserves to start a new population at Kuno with the Ranthambore males that
have already settled there. Unless of course, Kuno, excited in anticipation of those
much-awaited prides from Gujarat, consigns its tigers to their celibacy.
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