Selection of tigers for Sariska begins

JAIPUR: The Sariska Tiger Reserve is ready to receive a tiger couple from Ranathambore National Park. It's now up to a team of Rajasthan wildlife department officials and experts from Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to choose the couple.

The shifting, which was scheduled for June 20 but delayed because of heavy showers, is likely to take place within the next seven to 10 days, officials said.

A team of officials led by Rajasthan's chief wildlife warden R N Mehrotra and director of WII, Dehradun, Dr P K Sinha are in Ranathambore to give final touches to the shifting. Rajpal Singh, a member of the empowered committee on wildlife and forest told TOI that an Air Force cargo helicopter will transport the tigers to Sariska.

IAF officers have conducted a survey to finalise details on loading of animals into the helicopter and the location of release in Sariska.