MP CM Chouhan releases couple of tigers into Madhav National Park
bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday released a couple of ‘Panthera Tigris’ into enclosures of Madhav National Park (MNP) in Shivpuri district to mark the birth anniversary of Congress’s stalwart leader, the late Madhavrao Scindia.
A tiger and tigress brought from Satpura and Bandhahavgarh National Parks, respectively, were released into the MNP, where no tiger was seen since 2010. Three striped cats including two tigresses and one tiger were planned to be released. However, the third, a female big cat, from the Panna Tiger Reserve of the state could not be brought to translocate in the MNP on the day due to her illness reason, said a forest official.
Union Minister Jyotitaditya Scindia, BJP state chief VD Sharma, MP Forest Minister Vijay Shah, other Ministers, Yashodhara Raje, Mahendra Singh Sisodia and Guna-Shivpuri Lok Sabha MP K P Yadav were present on this occasion.
After releasing the big cats that are radio-collared, CM Chouhan said that Shivpuri, a historic, tourist city now would be identified on the world map. The move will create employment opportunities for the local people, and due to the coming of domestic and foreign tourists, the economy of the region would be increased, the CM also said.
While interacting with the Bagh Mitras, made for spreading awareness to the local people adjoining MNP to ensure the security of the big cats, Chouhan said that we have to make the people aware of conserving the tigers and tell them the wildlife are our friends.
CM Chouhan along with Scindia pulled a lever each to release the two creature species of cats from their cages into the separate enclosures. According to sources, five tigers in all, comprising two males and three females, will be translocated to the MNP to revive the big cat population. The wild animals, after being kept in the closures for about 10 to 15 days, will be released openly in the wild of the MNP. The park is spread over an area of 375 square kilometres.
The translocation of the big cats took place to observe the birth anniversary of the father of Jyotiraditya, who had been the union minister several times in the Congress government, the name of the park had been after his name, which has ever been a fairly good home for the number of tigers and was devoid of the majestic beasts for around 27 years. Sometimes, the big cats from Rajasthan’s Ranthambore tiger reserve roam around the MNP, which is a good prey base for the striped cats.
Wildlife experts say that the park has lost the tiger population primarily due to hunting by royals.
This is the third time the state forest department has re-introduced the tigers from one national park to others sanctuaries. The MNP, which was notified as National Park in 1958, is located in the mountains of the Vindhyanchal ranges and was once a favourite hunting site for Rajput, Maratha and Mughal royals.
