Rajasthan: NTCA nod to relocate tigers in Seljar range of Mukundra | Jaipur News

Tigress MT-4 will be shifted to Seljar range, northern part of MHTR

JAIPUR: After the country’s third tiger reintroduction debacle at Darrah range of Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR), the state forest department and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) have decided to stick to the original plan to release big cats at the reserve’s Seljar range.
The NTCA on Monday gave nod to relocate the big cats to the Seljar Range with certain conditions. Conservator of forest and MHTR field director Sedu Ram Yadav said, “An approval has been received to relocate a male tiger and a tigress in Seljar range. The prey base augmentation programme will begin soon, following which tigers will be shifted.”
In 2018, the tiger relocation plan was altered due to the pressure built by Vasundhra Raje’s government. The tigers from Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) were relocated to Darrah range of MHTR, instead of Seljar against the NTCA’s approval. However, after five tigers including three cubs died and one male tiger MT-1 disappeared mysteriously, the state once again sought the permission from NTCA to pair the lone surviving tigress MT- 4 living in 24 hectares at Darrah.
A forest official said, “The tigress MT-4 will also be shifted to Seljar range, northern part of MHTR, which is spread over 759.99 sq km. Once the tiger is shifted, the Darrah range will be tiger-less.”
The environmentalists in the state have criticized the state forest department’s indecisiveness and experimentation with tigers.
Tapeshwar Singh Bhati, former local advisory committee (LAC), member MHTR said, “After spending Rs 30 crore, the forest department constructed an enclosure and a wall at Darrah range. Similarly, money was also spent on shifting the Ghati village from this range and the first installment of Rs 3 lakh was released to the villagers of Mashalpura under the village relocation programme. Now, as the tiger relocation site has been changed again, public money spent to develop the habitat at Darrah will go down the drain.”
Though the plan has been changed again, forest staff claimed the safety of the tiger will remain a concern.
A forest official on condition of anonymity said, “In 2017, the tiger relocation plan from the Seljar range to Darrah was altered after standing committee members pointed out the security concerns. Illegal grazing is a major threat as villagers living on the periphery venture inside the forest with their cattle. There is a village named ‘Borawas’ where villagers are involved in milk production and have nearly 50,000 cattle.”