Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh), September 30, 2013: Two sub-adult Royal Bengal tigers, being hand-raised for rehabilitation back to the wild, have been safely shifted from Mini Zoo-Roing (Arunachal Pradesh) to Biological Park Itanagar (Capital of Arunachal Pradesh) by IFAW-WTI team assisting the Arunachal Pradesh Forest department and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

The tigers were ‘rescued’ as young cubs from the Angrim village in Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary in December last year, after several reports of poultry lifting. Their mother was believed killed. The cubs were then kept at the Mini Zoo, Roing, looked after by the Forest Department and IFAW-WTI veterinarians.

The first tiger arrives in in Itanagar. Photo: Subhamoy Bhattacharjee

The shift to the Biological Park was made to accommodate the tigers, now sub-adults, in a more spacious enclosure, till they can be moved to the wild to attempt rehabilitation. The operation took about 32 hours by road and boat beginning on Friday, with several breaks to check on the health of the tigers. The convoy crossed Assam, with the team stopping at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) in Kaziranga National Park. The convoy reached Biological Park Itanagar on Saturday evening.

Pekyom Ringu, Deputy Conservator of Forest – Wildlife, Arunachal Pradesh said, “We are thankful to Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) for their support in the tiger rescue and successful shifting of the animals to Biological Park Itanagar after keeping them in Roing Mini Zoo. It is a commendable job. I also thank the DGP of Arunachal Pradesh for providing security arrangements. We are also working on proposed Dibang Willife Sanctuary as one of the greatest Tiger Reserves in Arunachal Pradesh.”’

The male being checked by vets at Roing before being transported

Sunil Kyarong, Regional Head – Northeast India, IFAW-WTI, said, “We hope that these two cubs will be rehabilitated soon into the wild. And we also feel that these two tigers should act as the goodwill ambassadors for the proposed Dibang Tiger reserve.”

The 16 member translocation team comprised a State Wildlife Advisory Board member, Forest Department officials, IFAW-WTI veterinarians, biologists and animal keepers, as well as police officials.

“These tigers are our pride. Earlier people did not even believe that Dibang Valley has tigers,” said Ipra Mekola, Member, State Wildlife Advisory Board. “I wish that they will go back to the wild very soon.”

“We were very careful to ensure that the cubs have minimal stress during the journey. Major chunk of the road travel was covered at night,” said Dr Abhijit Bhawal, IFAW-WTI veterinarian who led the technical team comprising other IFAW-WTI veterinarians – Nupur Burahgohain and Jahan Ahmed along with the animal keepers of IFAW-WTI team.

The tigers reached the Biological Park Itanagar (BPI) on Saturday evening. Raya Flago, Curator, BPI, congratulating the team, said “Now it is our prime duty to provide security and health care of the animals in addition to our other five tigers. After keeping them in quarantine for a certain period they will be shifted to the bigger enclosure which is newly constructed as per CZA (Central Zoo Authority) guidelines and close to the natural habitat inside the park.”

Dr Sorang Tadap, Veterinary Officer, Biological Park Itanagar, said, “The cubs are healthy. We will observe their physical behaviour and continue to monitor their health. The feeding schedule will be followed according to CZA guidelines. De-worming and vaccination will be done during the quarantine period.”

The officials from the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department included Kenjum Rina, DFO-Wildlife Division, and O Jonkey, Ranger, Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary apart from the officials of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) comprising Dr. Kuladeep Roy, Assistant Manager and project lead, Balaji Seshan, Assistant Field Officer of Dibang Valley Conservation project along with other team members.