More cubs at Ranthambore

JAIPUR: The stork comes calling again at the Ranthambhore tiger reserve. This time it is tigress T-19 that has given birth to three more cubs in the reserve, taking the count of big cats there to around 55.

According to sources, the cubs were spotted and clicked by trap cameras. "T-19 is a daughter of the famous tigress Machli or T-16. There were two other tigresses T-17 and T-18 born from Machli but while T-17 died, T-18 was relocated to the Sariska tiger reserve. This litter is the second one by T-19 and in all probabilities she will go the Machli way, populating the reserve," an official said.

While it has been a spate of good luck for Ranthambhore as over the past couple of years it saw many births there were disappointments too with deaths of a few big cats and some confusion after some of the tigers could not be spotted for sometime. But intensive search later the claimed that 'missing' tigers were traced.

"Deaths are natural processes even for tigers and therefore one must come to terms that certain number of tigers will die. Of course, the revenge killings in Ranthambhore are areas where the forest department must work with proper plans. But the growth in population is encouraging although newer areas must be developed now to accommodate these many tigers," a conservationist said.