Maharashtra: Two orphaned tiger cubs moved to Pench reserve for rewilding

The orphaned tiger cubs rescued from the Pandharkawada forest range in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district have been moved to Pench Tiger Reserve for rewilding, an official said.

Rewilding involves the reintroduction of a tiger cub into the wild when it becomes apparent that the big cat is capable of surviving in the jungle independently.

The tiger cubs were rescued on March 14 from Ghatanji forest, a few weeks after the death of their mother, tigress PKT-7, said officials.

According to a release by Prabhu Nath Shukla, deputy director of Pench Tiger Reserve-Maharashtra, the 8-month-old tiger cubs were on Wednesday released into the Titralmangi enclosure at the protected forest for rewilding.

Primarily located in the southern part of Madhya Pradesh, the Pench Tiger Reserve also spreads across 257 square kilometres in Maharashtra.

Both the cubs are healthy and freely roaming inside the enclosure, said the release, adding that the rewilding will be carried out as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

NTCA is a statutory body constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act for strengthening tiger conservation in the country.