Nagpur: Even as the search for the mother tigress is going on, the two abandoned four-month-old cubs of T-66 in Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) were shifted to Gorewada Rescue Centre in Nagpur on Wednesday evening.
Media on Monday first reported how the two cubs had gone weak and displayed sluggish movement after the mother went missing for the last 15 days. Regular visitors to the park say the tigress was not seen after May 14.
“The cubs were first sighted on May 14 by tourists, but the mother was not there. They were again sighted on May 23 and 24, without the mother. The cubs were also seen sitting on the tourism road on May 28 calling the mother,” said a section of tourists.
The tourists immediately informed the forest officials regarding the cubs. Thereafter, a patrolling team also found the cubs, which were of T66 tigress of PTR. The forest team started monitoring and tracking their movements in the forest. A committee was formed as per the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) SOP, which monitored the movement and found that the T66 tigress did not come to feed the cubs for 2-3 days.
On Wednesday, the team noticed that one of the cubs in an abandoned place seemed weak. The team rescued the cubs after getting permission from Chief Wildlife Warden. Veterinarians Dr Sujith Kolangat and Dr Mayur Pavshe checked the cubs, and found that they needed immediate medication and treatment. After getting permission, both cubs were shifted to Gorewada Wildlife Research and Training Centre in Nagpur on Wednesday evening.
Taking a cue, on Tuesday, conservator of forest (CF) & Pench field director A Sreelakshmi visited Chorbahuli along with deputy conservator Pramod Panchbhai, ACF Atul Deokar, wildlife veterinarians Dr Shirish Upadhye and Dr Sujit Kolangath from Wildlife Research and Training Center (WRTC). RFO Rahul Shinde was also present.
On the drive to trace the missing tigress, Sreelakshmi said, “The drive will continue. I have been told that a tigress was sighted with a male in an adjoining territorial forest area.”
However, wildlife experts say, “Tigresses are highly protective mothers and leave their young only for short periods of time to quench thirst or go for a hunt. Most of the time, the felines nurse their cubs. If the cubs are infested with ticks, it clearly shows mother may not be around for long. Mothers lick their cubs to keep them clean.”
Reports said the Pench officials have been told to scan the entire territory of T66. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) help will be sought by identifying the missing feline territory.
