Alwar: A six-year-old tigress, ST-19, gave birth to four cubs in the Bareli-Bari area of the buffer zone of Sariska Tiger Reserve, bringing the total number of tigers in the reserve to 49. This is her third litter, which takes her total number of offspring to nine.According to forest officials, this is the first instance of four cubs being born simultaneously in the buffer zone, which already has seven resident tigers.Sharing the news on social media, Rajasthan forest minister Sanjay Sharma posted on X: “Good news from Sariska Tiger Reserve! Tigress ST-19 has been sighted with four healthy cubs for the first time. She is the third tigress in Sariska to give birth to four cubs in a span of one year. A promising sign for tiger conservation efforts in the region.”Previously, tigresses ST-12 and ST-22 also gave birth to four cubs each. Officials say the tiger population in Sariska is steadily increasing and expected to cross the 50-mark soon. Chief conservator of forests Sangram Singh confirmed that camera traps captured images of ST-19 and her cubs, all of whom appear healthy. He urged the public not to enter the tigress’ territory or disturb the wildlife in any way. With the rise in tiger numbers, forest officials anticipate an increase in eco-tourism, as sightings in the reserve have become more frequent.Sariska Tiger Foundation founder Dinesh Durani Verma said, “From zero to a population about to touch 50 is a success story. The conservation efforts of the state forest department over two decades made it possible. This is where the country’s first tiger relocation programme was carried out.”Another wildlife enthusiast said that of the nine cubs born to ST-19, one tiger — ST-2303 — was relocated to Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve after repeatedly straying into Haryana’s Jhabua forest from Sariska. “A few months after relocation, the tiger died in Ramgarh in a territorial fight,” he said.
