Tigers to be shifted from crowded Ranthambore

The Rajasthan government plans to shift some tigers from the Ranthambore National Park to other parks in the state, following an increase in the number of big cats and territorial fights between them, an official said Sunday.

At least five tigers have been killed in territorial fights among the over the past five years in Ranthambore in Sawai Madhopur district, some 150 km from Jaipur, a forest department official told IANS.

Environmentalists say that as the numbers of tigers increase, there is also a need to create habitats in which they can thrive.

There are over 60 tigers, including cubs, in the Ranthambore park as of now. In 2013, they numberered 48.

Wildlife experts said the tigers were overlapping one another's territory, and to get their share of space, the big cats were fighting others to death in the park.

"The core area of the reserve is spread over 1,113 square km. The buffer zone earmarked by the state government around the reserve is about 298 square km. The area is inadequate to house 60 tigers," a wildlife expert said.

A tigress may require a territory of 20 square km while the male's territory is much larger, covering 40-80 square km and sometimes even more.

On account of this, the government is now planning to shift 10-12 tigers to other parks, including Sariska in Alwar district, Mukundara Hills near Kota, and Kailadevi in Karuli district, the forest department official said.