Tigress doing fine in enclosure, to be out in 48 hours
6 July, 2008 Hindustan Times
MINUTES after his eighth sunrise in captivity, the male tiger from Ranthambhore walked out of his one-hectare enclosure this morning to discover his new 800 sq km kingdom of Sariska. Taking one of the three possible routes – all leading to the Kalighati area towards the centre of Sariska -- created by park officials through a funneling effect outside the enclosure gate, he moved on to make a goat kill.
Being monitored round-the-clock by three teams of scientists fromWildlife Institute of India (WII) and the forest staff, the radio-collared tiger still has the easy option to continue on a goatdiet for a few days more. Like this morning when three goat baits wereput on three possible tracks, officials will continue to offer thetiger live baits till he shows definite signs of settling down. Ofcourse, the big cat has the freedom to go for wild prey available inplenty.
The decision of continuing with live bait, according to sources,overruled an alternative strategy considered earlier last week. Theidea was to keep the tiger hungry for a couple of days before releaseso that he did not wait looking for livestock and rushed to make awild kill.
In fact, the tiger's freedom was delayed after he made a goat killinside the enclosure on Wednesday. Subsequently, the arrival of thetigress on Friday and heavy pilgrim traffic on Saturday prolonged hisstay inside the enclosure.
Today, a team of WII scientists swung into action around 2-15 in themorning. They prepared a pug impression pad with fine dust and set upa camera trap at the gate of the enclosure to record the tiger's exit.Then the team waited for the first light of the day before opening the sliding gates of the enclosure at 4-30 in the morning. The tiger soon came striding and stepped out around 5-30 am.
After consuming the goat he killed at 6-30 am, the tiger spent hisearly hours of freedom in a leisurely survey of an area of about 2 sqkm between the enclosure and Kalighati. Later in the day, he made afew short trips up and down the hillocks. Under an overcast sky and intermittent drizzle, he seemed to have taken it easy the first day.
Meanwhile, the tigress is in good health inside her enclosure andexpected to make her first kill tonight. She was allowed to finish akill at Ranthambhore – one good meal lasts a big cat about three days-- before she was picked up on July 4. If both animals continue toshow normal behaviour, the tigress will be set free by Tuesday.
6 July, 2008 Hindustan Times
MINUTES after his eighth sunrise in captivity, the male tiger from Ranthambhore walked out of his one-hectare enclosure this morning to discover his new 800 sq km kingdom of Sariska. Taking one of the three possible routes – all leading to the Kalighati area towards the centre of Sariska -- created by park officials through a funneling effect outside the enclosure gate, he moved on to make a goat kill.
Being monitored round-the-clock by three teams of scientists fromWildlife Institute of India (WII) and the forest staff, the radio-collared tiger still has the easy option to continue on a goatdiet for a few days more. Like this morning when three goat baits wereput on three possible tracks, officials will continue to offer thetiger live baits till he shows definite signs of settling down. Ofcourse, the big cat has the freedom to go for wild prey available inplenty.
The decision of continuing with live bait, according to sources,overruled an alternative strategy considered earlier last week. Theidea was to keep the tiger hungry for a couple of days before releaseso that he did not wait looking for livestock and rushed to make awild kill.
In fact, the tiger's freedom was delayed after he made a goat killinside the enclosure on Wednesday. Subsequently, the arrival of thetigress on Friday and heavy pilgrim traffic on Saturday prolonged hisstay inside the enclosure.
Today, a team of WII scientists swung into action around 2-15 in themorning. They prepared a pug impression pad with fine dust and set upa camera trap at the gate of the enclosure to record the tiger's exit.Then the team waited for the first light of the day before opening the sliding gates of the enclosure at 4-30 in the morning. The tiger soon came striding and stepped out around 5-30 am.
After consuming the goat he killed at 6-30 am, the tiger spent hisearly hours of freedom in a leisurely survey of an area of about 2 sqkm between the enclosure and Kalighati. Later in the day, he made afew short trips up and down the hillocks. Under an overcast sky and intermittent drizzle, he seemed to have taken it easy the first day.
Meanwhile, the tigress is in good health inside her enclosure andexpected to make her first kill tonight. She was allowed to finish akill at Ranthambhore – one good meal lasts a big cat about three days-- before she was picked up on July 4. If both animals continue toshow normal behaviour, the tigress will be set free by Tuesday.
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