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."
The authorities have highlighted that as the tiger population has increased over the years, RTR's capacity to accommodate the big cats remains a concern. At least 13 have disappeared from the park between 2019 and 2021. The record submitted in assembly revealed two male tigers - T-20 and T-23 - went missing from the park in 2019. Seven big cats including five males - T-47, T-42, T-64, T-95, T-97 - and two females - T-73 and T-92 - disappeared in 2020. Similarly, two male tigers - T-72, T-62 - and two females - T-126 and T-100 - went missing in 2021.
A senior forest official said a research carried out by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) stated that the carrying capacity of the Ranthambore National Park and Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary is not more than 43 adult tigers. A senior forest official said, "At present there are 53 adults' tigers. It is generally accepted that the best male to female ratio for tigers is 1:3, but at Ranthambore population spurt was witness due to imbalance. When the density of tigers increases, territorial fights are leading to the exit of the weaker ones. Four tigers, which went missing were old and there is a possibility they died in a conflict,"
As Ranthambore only source population of the big cats in the Ranthambhore-Mukundara-Kuno-Shivpuri-Madhav landscape is jostling with space, the forest department has urged to revitalization of Kailadevi Wildlife Sanctuary by relocation of villages, reduction of livestock and enhancement of prey to increase the carrying capacity of the region for tigers. Similarly, suggestions were made to develop more tiger habitats in Dholpur, Ramgarh Vishdhari and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR), which are currently sink habitats.
