Eight Tigers to be Translocated to Sahyadri Tiger Reserve

The Union Environment Ministry has approved the capture of eight tigers from the Tadoba-Andhari and Pench reserves for their translocation to the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in western Maharashtra. The effort is aimed at reviving the big cat population in the northern Western Ghats, where breeding tigers have so far not established themselves.

Conditions for Capture and Translocation

The ministry’s Wildlife Division granted permission to the Maharashtra Chief Wildlife Warden, subject to conditions such as:

• Ensuring adequate veterinary care during all stages of capture and relocation.
• Preventing post-capture complications and stress for the animals.

WII Endorsement of the Plan

Approval followed a positive appraisal by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), which has been working with Sahyadri reserve’s field staff to prepare the landscape for receiving the relocated tigers.

About Sahyadri Tiger Reserve

• Location & Spread: The reserve covers 1,165 sq km, straddling Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, and Ratnagiri districts.
• History: It was notified in 2010, formed by merging the Chandoli National Park and the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Challenge: Despite rich forests, breeding tigers have never colonised the reserve. Field records show mostly transient tigers dispersing through adjoining forests.

Conservation Significance

The relocation project is expected to establish a stable breeding population in Sahyadri, improving the ecological balance of the Western Ghats and strengthening India’s tiger conservation efforts.