Tiger population in Sahyadri Tiger Reserve rises to 10

Kolhapur: Three new male tigers recorded in the Radhanagari wildlife sanctuary and closely monitored over the last year have been declared residents of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in the past week, taking the total tiger strength in the reserve to 10.The Sahyadri Tiger Reserve currently hosts seven tigers and three tigresses — STR T1 (Senapati), T2 (Subhedar), T3 (Baji), T4 (Chanda), T5 (Tara), T6 (Hirkani), T7 (Raiba), T8 (Sardar), T9 (Shiledar) and T10 Ranoji.Tushar Chavan, the field director of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, said, "The tigers have been identified based on pugmarks, camera trap photographs and other scientific methods obtained by the forest officials during patrols. A detailed analysis of their movement routes, use of water bodies and habitat is underway. Information about the existence of three male tigers has come to light, and the forest department has conducted a thorough verification in this regard. Evidence obtained during routine patrols and through camera traps has revealed that all three tigers, named STR-T7, STR-T8 and STR-T10, are males. The forest department is continuously monitoring the movements of these tigers and studying their territories."The importance of Radhanagari is also underlined. Radhanagari Sanctuary, with an area of 351 sq km, is described as an important link in the Sahyadri-Konkan wildlife route. Chavan said, "Tigers migrating from the south, ie via Tilari and Amboli, stay in Radhanagari sanctuary for some time. After settling in Radhanagari, they come northwards towards the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. The previous tiger ‘Subhedar' also lived in Radhanagari for a year and then settled in Sahyadri Tiger Reserve,"Wildlife experts wrote to M S Reddy, chief wildlife warden, Nagpur, demanding that a tigeress be released in Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary so that the tiger population could be increased there as well. Rohan Bhate, honorary wildlife warden, said, "Permission has already been granted for the translocation of five tigresses from Tadoba-Andhari and Pench Tiger reserves. If a tigress is released in the Radhanagari wildlife sanctuary, it could facilitate breeding with the existing tigers, thus further increasing the big cat population."Meanwhile, two new batches of prey base of spotted deer and sambars were released in STR on Monday.