Bhopal: A three-and-half-year tigress was tranquilised, medically examined and translocated from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Madhya Pradesh to Mukundra Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan on Thursday as part of a wildlife management exercise.Forest officials said the operation took place in beat Jagua of the Panpatha Buffer Range in the presence of senior forest officials, including the deputy director of BTR. A team of wildlife health officers and rescue specialists tranquilised the tigress following established protocols.After sedation, the tigress underwent a detailed medical examination and officials said the animal was found to be in good health. Biological samples were collected and a radio collar was fitted as part of standard procedure to enable post-release monitoring.Forest officials said the decision to translocate her followed nearly a month of monitoring of select tigresses under prescribed criteria. A review meeting chaired by the field director of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, attended by the deputy director, sub-divisional forest officers, range officers and the rescue team, identified the tigress as suitable for relocation.“The entire process was conducted as per laid-down guidelines for tiger rescue and translocation. All safety standards were strictly followed,” a senior forest officer said.The tigress was later transported in a specially designed cage under veterinary supervision to Mukundra Tiger Reserve, where she will be released as part of ongoing conservation and population management efforts.Officials said the move aimed to strengthen the prey–predator balance and genetic diversity in recipient landscapes while addressing spatial pressures in source reserves.Assistant directors of Panpatha and Tala ranges, range officers of Panpatha Buffer, Tala and Khitauli, representatives of the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) and other field staff were present during the operation. Officials said Bandhavgarh, known for its high tiger density, undertook periodic scientific management interventions, including monitoring, radio-collaring and habitat balancing, as part of its long-term conservation strategy.
