Three cheers: Tiger number up in Panna

Lemuel Lall, TNN | May 20, 2012, 05.43AM IST BHOPAL: Tiger population revival programme in India has received a boost with one more tigress named T-2 giving birth to three cubs in the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR), in eastern Madhya Pradesh. With the three new additions tiger population in Panna reserve has risen to 20. After the failure of a similar programme in Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, the big cat population revival in PTR had brought back relief to the wildlife experts and foresters associated with the project. Three months ago, a feline christened T - 1, begot four cubs. Seven-year-old T-2 had been trans-located to PTF from world famous Kanha tiger reserve three years ago. The tigress gave birth to three cubs in a cave last month. "None of us can risk going to the cave and seeing the cubs, a top forest official said. This is the second litter of T-2.This feline gave birth to four cubs, eighteen months ago. With the arrival of three new guests in the PTR, the cub population has gone up to 15 in the park. Panna tiger reserve was in the news in the year 2009 as tiger population had vanished following poaching in the region. After PTR became devoid of big cat population the tiger population revival programme was launched in the park in early 2009. Four tigresses and a tiger were trans-located to PTR from Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench tiger reserves. Apart from T-2's seven cubs in two litters, two other tigresses - T- 1 and T -4 have begotten 10 cubs so far, of them 2 had died. Spread over an area of 543 sq km in Panna and Chhatarpur district, PTR had once been home to 35 tigers but slowly and gradually it lost them to poachers. This is the second litter of T-2.This feline gave birth to four cubs, eighteen months ago. With the arrival of three new guests in the PTR, the cub population has gone up to 15 in the park. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Three-cheers-Tiger-number-up-in-Panna/articleshow/13310580.cms