R'bore tigress likely to be shifted to Taleda range after 2nd attack

Jaipur: A sub-adult tigress, the offspring of the famed Arrowhead (T-84), allegedly killed a 40-year-old forest ranger, Devendra Chaudhary, near Ranthambore's Jogi Mahal area, according to the forest department's investigation. This marks the second attack by the same tigress within a month, forcing the forest department to shift her from the wild to an enclosure in the Taleda range.

A source said, "A proposal has been considered to tranquilise and relocate the tigress into an enclosure since she killed two humans." TOI reached out to the chief conservator of forests (CCF) and divisional forest officer (DFO) of Ranthambore National Park for comment, but they did not respond.

However, sources cautioned that confining the tigress could be a flawed decision, as the enclosure lies within the natural corridor between Keola Devi Wildlife Sanctuary and Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR). In the past, conflicts arose when T-104, an aggressive male tiger, was kept in the same enclosure. "Wild tigers clashed with the caged T-104, leading to aggression from both sides. Injuries occurred due to the cage's iron bars," a source said.

Additionally, keeping a tiger in an enclosure within the core reserve area for an extended period is impractical, as it requires regular cleaning and maintenance. Experts suggest relocating the tigress to a biological park in Jaipur or Udaipur instead. Sources said that after a boy's death in April, RTR authorities recommended moving the subadults to a non-tourism zone inside the core area, but no action was taken.

Green activist Tapeshwar Singh Bhati blamed poor wildlife management for the situation. "Since Tigress Arrowhead was unable to hunt, bait was regularly provided, attracting vehicles and humans. The cubs grew accustomed to human presence, losing their natural fear. This likely led to the subadult attacking two people," he said.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan's environment minister Sanjay Sharma and Deeg-Kumher MLA Shailesh Singh visited Chaudhary's residence in Narayan Ka Kheda to meet the grieving family. During the visit, minister Sharma assured that the govt would secure a job for Chaudhary's widow in the education department instead of forest department.

He consoled the family, emphasising that the state stands firmly with them in this difficult time. Sharma said, "We assure the family of our full support in all matters, including financial assistance from the state govt."