JAIPUR: Ranthambore National Park (RNP) is facing a serious imbalance in tigers' gender ratio that has come down to 1: 1.3.
This has resulted in spurt in tiger population, which is forcing many tigers to either desert the park or die in fights over territories and females. The fact was stated by the forest department in the state assembly in response to a question on 'missing tigers' raised by BJP MLA Satish Poonia.
At present the total population of big cats is 72 including 30 female, 23 male and 19 cubs, which is the highest since 1973, when Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) was established. The reply reads "Majority of tigress are in reproductive age. This has resulted in an increase in the birth rate of cubs. Between 2019 and 2021, a total of 44 cubs have been born at the park."