Once a deserted tiger reserve, Sariska in Alwar Rajasthan has got new members in its big cat family with Tigress ST-12 littered with three cubs taking the tiger tally in Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) to 33. The Tigress was spotted with cubs recently. This is the third litter of the tigress, earlier also she gave birth to six cubs.
Confirming the new arrivals, Field Director Sariska Tiger Reserve, Mahendra Sharma said tigress ST-12 was captured in a camera trap with three cubs in Talvrikash forest range, and the cubs are three months old. This is the third time when the tigress has given birth to three cubs.
Tigress ST-12 Welcomes Third Litter
ST-12 is the daughter of ST-10 and is 10 years old. Earlier she gave birth to three cubs in 2018, which were tagged as S-19, S-20 and ST-21. In 2021 she again gifted three tigers ST-23, ST-24 and ST-25 to the Sariska.
During the years 2003 and 2004, the population of 16 tigers in Sariska vanished due to illegal hunting. Tigers had completely disappeared from Sariska. Rajasthan declared a red alert against illegal hunting and wildlife emergency. In 2008, the tiger rehabilitation program started under Project Tiger. Tigers were airlifted from Ranthambore National Park and shifted to Sariska and this became the first reserve in the world with successfully relocated tigers.
One tiger and two tigresses were settled here. Tiger experts were worried. But in the year 2012, two tiger cubs were seen in Sariska. Two more cubs were seen in the year 2014. Then the baby boom started and today there are 33 tigers in Sariska which include 11 males,14 females and 8 cubs.
