Relocation of two tigers to Mukundra Hills on the cards
Decision to be taken in a meeting at the union ministry of forest and environment in New Delhi on September 4
Last Updated:
Representative image.
Jaipur: Two tigers may soon be relocated to Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) in Rajasthan. The agenda of relocation has been included in a meeting scheduled to take place at the union ministry of forest and environment on September 4.
Rajasthan forest and environment minister Gajendra Singh met Dr Harsh Vardhan, union minister of environment and forest, on Thursday and put forward the demand for the relocation.
Gajendra Singh informed the union minister that Mukundra Hills is fast emerging as a favorite destination for wildlife lovers from India as well as overseas. Relocation of two majestic cates will further add to the charm of the reserve and help the state government generate revenue for beefing up security and develop necessary tourism infrastructure.
“Development of tourism will have the same impact on the wildlife and the local economy as it has had on Ranthambore and Sariska,” said the minister.
He said sixteen villages are to be relocated under the Mukundra Hill Tiger Project. Of them, two village – Laxmipura and Khari Baori – have already been relocated and the relocation work is in progress for two other villages at present.
Khinwsar also made a pitch for the relocation of Ranthambore tigers to Sariska National Park.
Rajasthan government notified Mukundra Hills as a tiger reserve in 2013. It was the third tiger reserve. Prior to this, Ranthambore National Park (RTR) in Swai Madhopur and Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) in Alwar were the only two reserves in Rajasthan. The reserve was formed to cater to the spillover tiger population from RTR, which at present is reported to be around 65 tigers.
Even after being notified as a reserve, Mukundra hills is still awaiting relocation of tigers.
The reserve was formed to cater to the spillover tiger population from RTR, which at present is reported to be around 65 tigers.
At present, the reserve is home to panthers, sloth bear, cheetal, sambhar, bluebulls, chinkara, wild boars, langurs, monkeys, jackal, fox and other animals.
There are around 100 sambhar, 400 spotted deer and large numbers of bluebulls and wild boars in MHTR.
Related story: Tiger pair will be shifted to Sariska from Ranthambore, says Rajasthan minister
