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Too young to fend for themselves, the year-old siblings will have to be captured and studied before a decision on their relocation is taken
Maharashtra is faced with the question of how to rehabilitate the two year-old cubs of Avni, the alleged man-eating tigress of Pandharkwada, who was killed on November 2. The cubs, which were spotted on Thursday at Vihirgaon in Yavatmal, plausibly have no takers with the Forest Department and wildlife experts stating that the only option is to keep them in captivity. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) A.K. Misra said, “Avni’s cubs can be either be sent to a safari, put in a cage, given to a sanctuary or a national park — the entire Maharashtra is open for them.” Dr. Misra said catching a tiger is a matter of opportunity and a game of wait and watch. “Once they are captured, a committee of experts consisting of members from non-governmental organisations, government officers, scientists, local representatives and veterinary doctors will deliberate on their physical condition, their size, their development. Accordingly, a decision will be taken. Nothing can be predicted at this stage.”Explaining the process of a cub weaning off its mother, Mr. Pariwakam said that a cub when its about two years would wander away from its mother for a day, but then it will come back. Later, it might go for three to four days, and then a week. “It’s a gradual process that a cub weans off its mother,” said Mr. Pariwakam. Dharmendra Khandal, a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch, said reducing interference in the area is key to locate them. “Forest officials can reduce pressure in the area. They can reduce human pressure, even of staff, police officials, camera checking teams. Reduce all these interference, and once they locate the cubs, they can start feeding them at a particular place, and it would be easy to catch them,” said Dr. Khandal. Dr. Jerry Banait, a conservationist and petitioner to save Avni, said, “The cubs are less than a year and also are believed to be on semi solid food. Therefore, chemical immobilisation, which is tranquilisation, will be difficult as they are dehydrated and starved. So priority has to be given to physical restraint.”
Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/experts-divided-on-rehabilitation-of-tigress-avnis-cubs/article25533947.ece
