Tigers to roam in Mukundra National Park by December again

JAIPUR: Plans are afoot by Rajasthan wildlife and forest department to quickly reintroduce tigers at the Mukundra Tiger Reserve.
Though the National Tiger Conservation Authorit (NTCA) had approved the reintroduction of tigers in Mukundra Hills in Kota by December 2018, the state forest department is planning to do so a year earlier, additional chief secretary (forest and wildlife) Nihal Chand Goyal said.
“We want the tigers to be reintroduced by December this year,” he said. The department is now working on augmenting the prey base in the reserve to expedite the process of reintroduction.
About 300 cheetal from Jodhpur Zoo and sambhar from the cantonment area in Kota will be shifted to Mukundra Hills to increase the prey base for tigers.
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has given permission for transfer cheetal from Jodhpur Zoo, he informed.
Noting that wildlife, especially tiger, is an important component of tourism in the state, he said the Ranthambore National Park was able to generate revenues of Rs 30 crore in the last fiscal, a jump of almost 50%.
Around Rs 12 core of this money will be used to construct 40km of boundary walls for the reserve. “We plan to construct a total of 100km boundary walls for the Ranthabore park this year for securing the tiger habitat further,” he added.
Boundary walls are also being planned at Sariska Tiger Reserve, Jawai Leopard Reserve in Pali, Mukundra Tiger Reserve and Jhalana Forest Area as part of the government’s commitment to fortify forests and wildlife areas.
Goyal said that night patrolling has been introduced in all the three tiger reserves in the state as part of increasing vigilance against poachers and a Rs 60-crore video surveillance mechanism was in the pipeline for five tiger and leopard reserves.
These cameras will provide thermal and optical images to control centres.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/tigers-to-roam-in-mukundra-national-park-by-december-again/articleshow/59210048.cms