Rescued tiger cub set free into natural enclosure at ATR

COIMBATORE: An abandoned tiger cub, which was rescued in a weak condition in Valparai, has been set free into a natural enclosure as part of the Forest Department’s ambitious process to re-wild the animal.

The male cub, ‘ANM T56’ (Anamalai Tiger 56) was rescued when it was barely five months old with injuries caused by a porcupine at a tea estate in Valparai on September 28, last year. It was found with sharp quills of porcupine pierced on its legs.

The tiger cub was caged and treated at Manombally Range. As the tiger’s health condition improved to normalcy, the Forest Department shifted it to the natural enclosure at Manthirimattam in Manombally Range of Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) on Sunday, around 10.30 am.

This is the first time in Tamil Nadu; the Forest Department has taken up such a unique re-wilding project. Significantly, the release of tiger into the open enclosure has coincided with World Environment Day.

“It looks like the tiger is quite happy with its new environment. He could now hunt small prey like rabbits. Today, it was fed with around six kg of meat. But, the plan is to empower the tiger to hunt on its own and make it ready for jungle life. It may take at least a year to release the animal into the wild,” said S Ramasubramanian, Conservator of Forests and Field Director of ATR.

The natural enclosure, spread over in an area of 10,000 sq ft, has a den, water hole, pond and trees. The animal, which is now 12 to 14 months old, weighs around 140 kg and remains active. A team of doctors, including Ramesh of Wildlife Institute of India are monitoring the cub through CCTV’s fixed inside the enclosure.

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