Kaziranga NP (Assam): Attempt to re-unite a month-old female tiger cub with her mother is in progress today in the Burapahar range of Kaziranga National Park, by the Assam Forest Department assisted by International Fund for Animal Welfare – Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI).

The cub was found alone by forest guards on Friday. The following day, a make-shift shelter was prepared at the site where the cub was found for the attempted reunion. The cub was left over-night with five infra-red camera traps set up by Aaranyak scanning the area around it, with hopes that her mother would come to get her.

Unfortunately, no tiger movement was recorded. As the cub was getting weak, she had to be taken to the IFAW-WTI run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) where she was treated for dehydration.

Yesterday, as the cub recuperated at CWRC, camera traps were left at the site to capture tiger movement, if any. No relevant images were found on the camera traps, but tiger pugmarks were observed around the area. Given the territorial nature of tigers and that the cub was found here, conservationists believe that there is a high probability that the pugmarks belong to the mother.

“The cub has now recovered and is active and noisy, which could help in the re-uniting effort, if you look at it positively,” said Dr Abhjit Bhawal, IFAW-WTI veterinarian. “She will be placed in the shelter tonight, which has been shifted closer to the area where the pugmarks were seen and in an area with better cover, unlike the first site (where the cub was found).”

“Today will be a critical night for the cub and the team,” says Dr NVK Ashraf, Chief Veterinarian, WTI. “There are calculated risks. Given the pugmarks observed and the cubs improved health, she has a fair chance at making it back to a normal life in the wild. However, predators are a threat to the animal’s safety. In case these attempts bear no results, the authorities will decide on the fate of the animal.”