WWF team visits PTR to study tiger trans-location programme

A nine-member team of Wildlife Fund visited the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) to study reserve's tiger Re-introduction Programme, which has earned it a reputation of being an expert in tiger translocation procedure across the globe.
The team, which was on a three-day visit to PTR from May 19-21, had come with an intention to translocate tigers of Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand where the big cats have either extinct or are on the verge of extinction, an official of Public Relation Department said today.
"Panna Tiger Reserve has attained status of world Guru in tiger translocation. A nine-member delegation of World Wildlife Fund was at the reserve last week on a three-day visit to study and understand the big cat Re-introduction Programme," the official said.

The reserve spread across Panna and Chhatarpur districts districts in north Madhya Pradesh, has emerged as 'world guru' after its successful translocation of tigers from other reserves to the PTR where number of big cats had plummeted a couple of years ago.
The delegation also gathered information on activities for tiger translocation, difficulties faced at the ground-level and techniques involved.
The delegation comprised Stuart Chapman, Head of WWF Greater Mekong Programme, Van Ngoc Thinh, Country Director- WWF Vietnam, Sam Ath Chhith, Country Director- WWF Cambodia, Teak Seng, Conservation Director WWF, Yowakak Thiaradhow, Country Director- WWF Thailand.
Dr Sejal Worah, Programme Director- WWF-India, Jimmy Borah, Sr Coordinator of WWF-India's Tiger Conservation Programme, and Joseph Vattakaven, Sr Advisor to WWF- International Tigers Alive Initiative, the official said.

A power point presentation was also shown to delegates for the better understanding of the translocation programme.