By IANS
Jaipur : A tigress has moved out of the Ranthambore national park in Rajasthan, sending the forest department into a tizzy. Poachers had killed a tiger that had done the same three months back.
The department is busy monitoring her activities as the tigress is reported to have gone towards the Keladevi Sanctuary, sources told IANS.
The Keladevi Sanctuary is beyond the northern boundary of the Ranthambore national park.
The forest department said six teams have been deputed to monitor the movement of the tigress.
“She is fine and we are keeping a close watch on her. Last year too she had moved to another jungle nearby. However, she returned after some time,” a forest official said.
“She is near the national park. However, keeping in mind the poaching of Yuvraj, we are taking extra care,” another official said.
A tiger named Yuvraj had gone missing from the national park over three months ago and was killed by poachers in November.
With the increase in tiger population, the Ranthambore National Park, over 170 km from here, is now grappling with a different kind of a problem.
As per a recent census, the tiger population in the park has increased to 32 from the earlier count of 26 in 2005. The number does not include the estimated 13 cubs.
This increase in population has resulted in bloody clashes between the tigers over territories.
“Ranthambore is not a small park. There is ample of space for tigers. We are observing their activities to see why they are moving to nearby areas,” a forest official said.
Ranthambore National Park, situated in Sawai Madhopur district, covers around 400 sq km and around 500 sq km if combined with the area of Sawai Man Singh sanctuary area.
Ranthambore national park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1957 and got the status of a national park in 1981.
Tigers are territorial and fiercely defensive. A tigress may have a territory of 20 sq km while the territories of males are much larger, covering 40 to 80 sq km. However, territory varies from forest to forest depending on the ecology of that area.
Male territories may overlap those of many females, but males are intolerant of other within their territory.