Attempt to reunite rescued Bengal tiger cub with mother

Found alone and dehydrated
October 2011: Attempts to reunite a month-old tiger cub with its mother is under way 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).

RESCUED: The one-month-old tiger cub

The female cub was found alone by forest guards earlier this month. The following day, a makeshift shelter was prepared at the site where the cub was found for the attempted reunion. The cub was left overnight 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.

Sadly, 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.

The cub is now active and noisy
As the cub recuperated, camera traps were left at the site to capture any tiger movement. 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 reuniting 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 area where the cub was found.'

WTI's chief vet, Dr Ashraf said: ‘There are calculated risks. Given the pugmarks observed and the cub's 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.'