Jaipur: The relocation of a four-year-old tiger, identified as RBT 2407, within the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve has raised eyebrows among wildlife experts and enthusiasts. The young male tiger was released into the Khandar range, leading many to question the forest department’s decision, especially given that RBT 2407 had already begun establishing territory in the Ranthambore area and recently mated with a tigress.This intervention began Monday evening when forest officials discovered the young tiger roaming near peripheral villages for two consecutive days. Concerned for the animal’s safety and the potential threat it posed to locals, they tranquillised the tiger and fitted it with a radio collar—a move that marks one of the few instances in recent years where a tiger from Ranthambore has received such tracking equipment. Wildlife advocate Tapeshwar Singh Bhati expressed his disapproval of the relocation, saying, “The settled tiger which successfully mated with tigress 2510 recently should not have been shifted to other territory. The tiger was growling after moving out in search of her mate; it should have been released in the same territory with her.” RBT 2407’s journey began when he was spotted near a forest nursery close to Hotel Nahargarh and later moved towards a peripheral zone of the reserve. Despite briefly returning to the forest at night, the tiger was seen again the following morning near Ram Singhpura village, prompting fears among local villagers as he traversed farmland. Residents alerted the forest department, which dispatched a team to tranquillise the animal. After undergoing a medical examination and receiving the radio collar—which is intended for ongoing monitoring—the young tiger was ultimately released into the Khandar range. However, experts have voiced concerns regarding the implications of collaring a young dispersing male. Wildlife photographer Amit Tyagi said, “The collar can act as a detriment during territorial fights, which a young male tiger often has to do for survival in RNP. Also, the initial period of collaring can cause distress.”
