Lakrdah female, T10 male paired days before airlift
5 July, 2008 Hindustan Times
Big cats come with baggage. Before their fate brought them together to a new home in Sariska, the young animals had formed a pair. Many inRanthambhore spotted the Lakrda female mating with a robust collared tiger not far from Malik Talao – the same picturesque water body that made her mother famous as the Lady of the Lake – days before she was moved to Sariska. While some mistook the tiger for the Kachida male –one of Ranthambhore's many collared tigers – the bulkier frame was a giveaway. The Lakrda female's partner was none other than the T10 male, say forest sources, the tiger that preceded her to Sariska on June 28.
Early days still, but Sariska's first tigress just might be carrying her first litter from her old home. If she shows signs of pregnancy now and goes on to deliver, Sariska might have second generation oftigers much earlier than expected.
Usually a tigress takes 90-110 days from conception to delivery andthe pregnancy becomes apparent by the sixth week. Other signs ofconception include consumption of grass for folic acid, shrinking habitat and search for safe hideouts. However, both animals being relatively young, the Lakrda female might not get lucky this time. Bigcats show high rate of conception when the partners involved are olderthan five years.
But if the Lakrda female was indeed with the Kachida male, herpossible conception may not be good news after all. For male catsdon't tolerate cubs of other males. This typical male reaction is triggered by the fact that post-conception, a tigress doesn't matetill her cubs grow up, making herself out of bound for about two years. Though a male tiger show patience with his own cubs, hisnatural tendency is to kill the young ones of other males so that thetigresses concerned are available again. Tigresses do try to defendtheir cubs against new males, but, typically, the young ones are safeonly when they grow up in their father's territory. Every time the father male loses his territory to a rival male, the cubs are killed.
In Sariska, there will be no stopping the only male now. And if the Lakrda female indeed goes on to deliver the Kachida male's cubs, the T10 male – so called after her number in the Ranthambhore tiger index– surely won't wait watching the only tigress around bringing up someother tiger's cubs.
But there is hope even in such a scenario. Tigresses of exceptional craftiness are known for fooling their male counterparts. The Lakrda female's mother, the venerable Lady of the Lake, tricked many tigersand other adversaries to successfully raise nine tigers in fourlitters. To protect her first litter in a similar situation, she had been reported to have faked a false estrus to fool a male tiger andsaved her cubs. If the daughter can show half the skills, she will anyway have the T10 believe he is responsible for her litter.
5 July, 2008 Hindustan Times
Big cats come with baggage. Before their fate brought them together to a new home in Sariska, the young animals had formed a pair. Many inRanthambhore spotted the Lakrda female mating with a robust collared tiger not far from Malik Talao – the same picturesque water body that made her mother famous as the Lady of the Lake – days before she was moved to Sariska. While some mistook the tiger for the Kachida male –one of Ranthambhore's many collared tigers – the bulkier frame was a giveaway. The Lakrda female's partner was none other than the T10 male, say forest sources, the tiger that preceded her to Sariska on June 28.
Early days still, but Sariska's first tigress just might be carrying her first litter from her old home. If she shows signs of pregnancy now and goes on to deliver, Sariska might have second generation oftigers much earlier than expected.
Usually a tigress takes 90-110 days from conception to delivery andthe pregnancy becomes apparent by the sixth week. Other signs ofconception include consumption of grass for folic acid, shrinking habitat and search for safe hideouts. However, both animals being relatively young, the Lakrda female might not get lucky this time. Bigcats show high rate of conception when the partners involved are olderthan five years.
But if the Lakrda female was indeed with the Kachida male, herpossible conception may not be good news after all. For male catsdon't tolerate cubs of other males. This typical male reaction is triggered by the fact that post-conception, a tigress doesn't matetill her cubs grow up, making herself out of bound for about two years. Though a male tiger show patience with his own cubs, hisnatural tendency is to kill the young ones of other males so that thetigresses concerned are available again. Tigresses do try to defendtheir cubs against new males, but, typically, the young ones are safeonly when they grow up in their father's territory. Every time the father male loses his territory to a rival male, the cubs are killed.
In Sariska, there will be no stopping the only male now. And if the Lakrda female indeed goes on to deliver the Kachida male's cubs, the T10 male – so called after her number in the Ranthambhore tiger index– surely won't wait watching the only tigress around bringing up someother tiger's cubs.
But there is hope even in such a scenario. Tigresses of exceptional craftiness are known for fooling their male counterparts. The Lakrda female's mother, the venerable Lady of the Lake, tricked many tigersand other adversaries to successfully raise nine tigers in fourlitters. To protect her first litter in a similar situation, she had been reported to have faked a false estrus to fool a male tiger andsaved her cubs. If the daughter can show half the skills, she will anyway have the T10 believe he is responsible for her litter.
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