Tigress refuses to fall for the trap, relocation suffers

JAIPUR: The operation to relocate a tigress from Ranthambore to Sariska in Rajasthan could not be accomplished for the second consecutive day today as the animal identified for the purpose virtually refused to fall into the trap laid by wildlife experts.

"Translocation of tigress scheduled to be completed this afternoon has been cancelled," an official spokesman said.

"The new schedule to shift the tigress would be notified as and when available," he said.

K Shankar, senior scientist from Wildlife Institute of India, who is part of the operation team, yesterday said the operation would be resumed early today to sedate the animal and ferry it by an IAF helicopter to the Sariska park from where tigers had disappeared.

Shankar, along with other WII experts Parag Nigam and P R Sinha besides Rajasthan wildlife officials, is in Ranthambore park to make the relocation process successful.

The relocation of tigers is part of the government's efforts to revive the tiger population in Sariska which is spread over 881 sq kilometre.

Three months back, a pair of royal Bengal tigers from Ranthambore sanctuary were successfully relocated in Sariska where poachers have eliminated all the big cats by 2005.