Jaipur: The Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) received a conservation boost on Sunday after camera traps recorded its only tigress, MT-6, with a cub, marking the first such sighting in the reserve’s history. Tigress T-2301, renamed MT-6, was translocated to MHTR on Aug 9, 2023, to be paired with male tiger MT-5 (T-110 from Ranthambore), who arrived earlier on Nov 3, 2022. Forest officials and wildlife experts believe that there could be more cubs though they are yet to be captured on camera.Hailing the development as a landmark moment, Lok Sabha Speaker and Kota-Bundi MP Om Birla said, “We have consistently made efforts to revive Mukundra. This sighting marks a crucial step forward in strengthening tiger conservation in the region.”Environmental activist Devrath Singh Hada echoed the optimism but expressed concern over bureaucratic delays in relocating tigers. “Though approval has been granted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to relocate two additional big cats, the process has stalled. This sighting clearly reaffirms that MHTR, with its natural corridor adjoining the Chambal, is a biologically rich and suitable habitat for tigers and warrants greater administrative focus.”Once hailed as India’s third major tiger reintroduction project, MHTR was expected to ease the pressure on the overcrowded Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. However, it suffered repeated setbacks due to flawed execution and political interference. Initially, NTCA approved the Seljar range for releasing big cats owing to it being a superior habitat and prey base. However, under pressure from the then Vasundhara Raje-led govt, the plan was altered, and the tigers were shifted to the Darrah range. “The decision proved disastrous. Between 2018 and 2020, five tigers, including three cubs, died, and one male tiger, MT-1, vanished without a trace,” a source said. The lone surviving tigress in Darrah, MT-4, was confined to a 24-hectare enclosure, rendering her incapable of breeding. In 2022, acknowledging past failures, the forest department reverted to the original plan and shifted her back to the Seljar range. But tragedy struck again when, on May 5, 2023, MT-4 died during treatment in Seljar, carrying three fully formed cubs in her womb.
