At least 15 tiger cubs have been sighted in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh; not only that, the survival rate of the cubs has also increased.
In a good news for wildlife enthusiasts concerned over dwindling big cat population in the country, at least 15 tiger cubs have been sighted in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh, officials said.
Not only that, the survival rate of the cubs has also increased, they said.
"At least 15 tiger cubs have been sighted at various spots of the park," Shailesh Prasad, field director of the Dudhwa reserve in Kheri district, told PTI.
He said a tigress with three cubs was sighted in Madraicha while Chhota Palia, Chaltua, Kakraha, Puraina and Jhadi Tal areas of the national park and Sadar beat of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) were reported to have tigresses with two cubs respectively.
He also said, "A tigress with one cub was reported to be staying in Trans-Gerua area of KWS."
"All the cubs were hale and hearty, which indicated a sustained growth of tiger family in Dudhwa despite several odds," he added.
However, if the arrival of new members in the tiger families has rejuvenated the wildlife lovers, this has also left them seriously concerned as Dudhwa with an area of nearly 1,400 sq km is nearly saturated with tiger population.
"The population of tigers in Dudhwa is at its optimum at present and if the buffer area was not well-managed in the coming days, further growth would encourage man-animal conflict," Prasad said.
With a view to give extension to tiger habitat, a proposal to incorporate the North Kheri forest division of the district into the reserve had been already submitted to National Tiger Conservation Authority.
Already, the cane fields around Dudhwa and on the fringes of north and south Kheri forest division areas have started attracting big cats, and the arrival of new members in the big cat families may accelerate the pace, said a wildlife expert.
Eminent wildlife expert and convener of Terai Nature Conservation Society (TNCS) Vijay Pratap Singh, who has been assigned by the WWF to carry out a survey work on tigers living outside the reserve forest areas, shared the concerns of park officials.
"It is high time to ensure intensive monitoring of tigers, which have strayed into cane fields in search of safe hideouts and to accommodate themselves in the buffer areas," he said.
Singh said over three dozen tigers were reported to have been visiting the areas outside the reserve forest.
"These included areas in close proximity of Gola, Dhaurehra, Mohammadi, Sumernagar area in Sampurnanagar, Majhgain, Pallia, North and South Nighasan, Mailani ranges of North and South Kheri forest divisions," he said.
"Intensive monitoring of tigers outside the reserve forest areas and well-managed buffer zone were the immediate points of attention to avert man-animal conflict," Singh said.
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