By IANS
Jaipur : After collaring a tiger cub at Rajasthan's Ranthambore national park, eight more tigers are to get radio collars to monitor their activities.
"By the end of this month we plan to put radio collars on two cubs in Gudha and Jhalara areas of the national park," a forest department official said.
A team of experts of the Wildlife Institute of India will assist in the task of collaring.
The tigers usually get the collar between 20-24 months of age. "The collars would help us know their habitat, travel pattern and eating habits," said one official.
Conservationists say the number of tigers in Rajasthan has dropped alarmingly in recent years, mainly due to poaching.
A report published in March 2005 by the Wildlife Institute of India confirmed that there were no tigers left in the Sariska tiger reserve. The government has faced severe criticism over the dwindling tiger population.
Besides the tigers, 12 panthers will also be getting radio collars – at the Sariska wildlife park, about 140 km from here. They include four male, female and cubs each.
Rajasthan Forest and Environment Minister L.N. Dave told IANS: "It will help us to know the eating habits of the panthers."
According to a 2004 census, there are over 550 panthers in the state.