COIMBATORE: The tiger club rescued from Thaimudi estate last year was placed in a 10,000sqft enclosure at Manthirimattam in Manambolly forest range for rewilding on Sunday.
Forest officials found the orphaned male cub on September 28, 2021. The eight-month-old animal had injuries caused by a porcupine quill and was weak. The officials shifted it to a cage at a rest house at Manambolly. It is now 16 months old.
The cub was transported to Manthirimattam in a cage on Sunday morning. It entered the enclosure at 11.05am, an official said. "The enclosure is protected by 15 feet tall chain-link fence, which is covered by three feet tall wire mesh to keep away reptiles. We will monitor the cub using six CCTV cameras and a speed dome camera round-the-clock," he said.
The animal should be reared in the in-situ enclosure for a minimum of two years as per the national tiger conservation authority (NTCA) guidelines, said Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) deputy director M G Ganesan.
The tiger cub now weighs 144kg and is very active. "Wild boars and deer will be placed in the enclosure to monitor the cub's hunting method. Also, meat will be kept in the cage attached to the enclosure," Ganesan said. "It has to make at least 50 kills before being released in the wild."
A team of forest veterinary officers led by K Ramesh, scientist, Wildlife Institute of India, is observing the cub. Anti-poaching watchers are also observing the animal from a machan. Forest veterinary officers Dr Vijaya Raghavan, Dr Sridhar from Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Dr A Sukumar of Coimbatore forest division and Dr Manoharan from Kalakkad-Mundanthuri Tiger Reserve collected samples and took biometric measurements before the cub was placed in the enclosure. Forest range officers Manikandan, Venkatesh and Kasilingam assisted them.
