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Time of India

State's first tiger cub rewilding project awaits NTCA approval

Jaipur: In a groundbreaking conservation effort, Rajasthan's first-ever tiger rewilding project is approaching its final stage as two orphaned cubs have demonstrated remarkable hunting abilities in their controlled environments. The Forest Department has sought final approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to release the tigers into the wild. The cubs, who lost their mother, tigress T-114, in Nov 2022 when they were just two-and-a-half months old, have shown exceptional progress in their rehabilitation journey. After 22 months of careful nurturing at Abheda Biological Park, the siblings were separated and relocated in Dec 2024. The female, now designated as MT-7, was moved to Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve, while her brother was transferred to Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve. Each tiger currently occupies a five-hectare enclosure within their respective reserves. Both tigers have demonstrated impressive hunting skills. The female in Mukundra has made over 45 successful kills and her brother in Ramgarh shows similar prowess. According to rewilding protocols, the tigers will be eligible for release once they achieve 50 kills each, a milestone they are rapidly approaching. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sharp Design, Smoother Drives. Toyota Glanza Learn More Undo A senior forest official said, "Two orphaned tiger cubs relocated from Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve are now thriving in the wild under the state's first rewilding project and are on the verge of delivering successful results. Once permission is received, they will be released. This will mark the first rewilding project of tiger cubs in Rajasthan. The cubs are nearly 27 months old and will be released in accordance with protocol. " This project marks uncharted territory for Rajasthan's forest department. While they have experience with orphaned cubs, those cases involved raising tigers in the wild rather than in captivity. "The current challenge lies in determining the optimal timing for releasing captivity-raised cubs into the open forest," explained a committee member. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!