'Reborn' big cat longs for Naini den

The taxidermy trophy of India’s last Siberian tiger, which was to be sent back to Nainital — where it came from — after it was ready, is still lying at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Borivli as the Nainital zoo authorities still haven’t arranged for an air force helicopter to take it back.  

Kunal, the Siberian tiger, died in November 2011. Realising the loss of an endangered species, Bharat Ratna Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant High Altitude Zoo authorities decided to make a life-size model of the tiger. It’s body was flown into Mumbai five months ago, to be brought back to life by India’s only taxidermist, Dr Santosh Gaikwad, also a lecturer at Bombay Veterinary College.

Taxidermy is the process of preserving the carcass of a dead animal, stuffing it, and mounting it for display or for the purpose of study.

The work was completed two months ago, and the model of the tiger was to be kept on display at the SGNP for a week before it would be sent back to Nainital zoo. Parag Dhakate, director, Bharat Ratna Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant High Altitude Zoo, said,“We are working on getting the air force helicopter to bring the trophy back. But for some reason, the process has been delayed. By November-end, we will bring the tiger back.”

“We had kept the trophy on display at the Nature Information Centre at the SGNP for a week. The Nainital zoo authorities have said they will take the trophy back in November,” said Dr Gaikwad.