After monsoon, Gujarat’s lone male tiger likely to get a mate

Ahmedabad: Gujarat’s lone male tiger is likely to get a companion after the rains. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has asked the state for a detailed habitat assessment report, the last major hurdle before a female tiger can be translocated to the Ratanmahal landscape, where the male has been ranging since Feb last year. The move forms part of the state’s efforts to establish a viable tiger population.Top forest department officials said preparations for the assessment are already underway and will wrap up once the monsoon ends. “The NTCA has made clear that the tigress will be moved only after the report, which must include prey-base density estimates, is submitted and approved,” a senior forest official said.The male tiger has carved out a territory of roughly 120 sq km across Devgadh Baria, Chhota Udepur, Dolariya, Sagtala and the Sukhi Dam region, all within about 25km of the Ratanmahal landscape. Officials tracking the animal over the past year have documented successful hunts and other signs that it has adapted well to the area.The habitat assessment will examine prey availability, habitat suitability, water resources, protection measures and the risk of human-wildlife conflict at the proposed release site before the NTCA decides. The authority had, during a meeting in Feb, agreed in principle to send a female tiger after the national tiger census was completed and had also cleared the census exercise in Gujarat.The habitat assessment request is typically the last requirement before any wild animal is translocated to a new landscape. Tigers in India breed between Nov and April, and the aim is to have the tigress released and settled well before the next mating season.The plan involves airlifting the female tiger and releasing her close to the male’s existing range. “The preferred candidate would be a tigress that has dispersed from her original territory or is moving in search of a mate. If no such animal is available, one captured from the wild may be considered after detailed screening. The chosen tigress will undergo health checks and behavioural assessments,” a source said.Officials also want to ensure the animal has no history of attacks on humans or livestock. The tigress will be fitted with a radio collar for continuous monitoring after her release. For Gujarat, it would be the first step towards a self-sustaining tiger population.