Vadodara: According to credible reports from insiders in the Forest Department, a tiger has been living in the Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary of Panchmahal district for the past nine months. The tiger is believed to have migrated from the forests of Madhya Pradesh in February.

With the tiger now permanently staying in Ratanmahal, experts say this could pave the way for the revival of the tiger population in Gujarat, which had been officially declared extinct over two decades ago. The Gujarat government will soon need to inform the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) about the tiger’s prolonged presence, as required under conservation protocols. Wildlife experts have also suggested that tigresses from other states may be introduced to encourage natural breeding in the region.

According to forest officials, the tiger is around four years old. Its movement is being monitored closely through camera traps and CCTV footage. The department is taking steps to ensure that the habitat remains suitable and that the tiger continues to stay within the sanctuary. Efforts such as resettling prey species like chital and sambar are already underway.

The last official tiger census in 2001 declared tigers extinct in Gujarat. Before that, the state last recorded a tiger staying for a significant period in 1985. In 2019, a tiger was spotted in forest areas of Mahisagar in Central Gujarat, but it died within 20 days of being sighted.

The current tiger’s sustained presence in Ratanmahal marks a significant moment for wildlife conservation in Gujarat and may signal the return of the species to the state after many years. DeshGujarat