Tiger released after four-month treatment

23 July, 2009

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Tiger released after four-month treatment

Congratulations to all involved in the successful rescues, treatment and releases in the Sundarbans. This is field conservation of the highest order.

Jul 23, 2009

Monotosh Chakraborty | Times News Network

After 4 months & 9 days of treatment at the Alipore Zoo hospital this male tiger of about 9.5 ft (head to tail end) was released at the Harikhali area in Sundarban Tiger Reserve today at 2 in the afternoon, amidst heavy rainfall we managed to get a glimpse & these images, courtesy Sundarban Tiger Reserve.

The tiger was rescued from Shamshernagar with an old heavy wound on his right hind leg.

Harinbhanga (Sunderbans):

It could have been the weariness of a long journey. Or, just disbelief at the sudden change of scenario which seemed too good to be true. The tiger, that had been under treatment at the Alipore zoo hospital for the last four months, seemed a trifle hesitant, almost uninterested to rush back into the forest. Eventually, it did swim to the shore and disappear behind the bushes of the Harinbhanga forest in the Sunderbans, creating a conservation history of sorts. The 12-year-old male became the first to return to the mangroves after being treated in captivity.

Unlike its predecessors that were released in the forest in the past one year, it didn’t pace up and down the cage menacingly. Nor did it growl or lash its tail, gnawing impatiently at the grille. When the forest department launch carrying the tiger reached Harinbhanga after a 15-hour river cruise across the Raimangal and Harikhali, everyone waited for a royal exit. But the big cat disappointed the motley gathering of forest officials, guards and journalists.

When the cage door was lifted, it lazily ambled across to the edge of the launch and hung out its paw to test the waters, quite literally. Then, it descended into the Harinbhanga river with a short, unadventurous jump that hardly made a splash. The regal leap was missing.





Swimming for about 10 metres to the shore, it stood on its tracks for a couple of seconds. Then, it shook its frame, throwing off the water and muck from its flaming torso and disappeared behind the bushes with a short run. It was over in 28 pulsating seconds.

Forest officials, however, were pleased. “This is a major breakthrough, as no tiger has ever been rehabilitated in the Sunderbans after prolonged treatment. The way it touched the water and gleefully bounded away into the forest shows that it has not forgotten the wild. The tiger should not have any problem resettling in its familiar terrain,” said Atanu Raha, principal chief conservator of forests.

The tiger had strayed into a village in Hingalganj and was trapped on March 13. It had a wound on its right hind leg that seemed life-threatening. A four-month-long treatment, however, cured it and it was declared fit to return. “We were initially a little sceptical, but vets were confident. Hopefully, we will be able to rehabilitate injured tigers in the wild in future,” said Subrat Mukherjee, field director, Sunderban Tiger Reserve.

"This is a landmark event & will take conservation a step forward. It has now been proved that injured Tigers do have a future in the wild" said Suchandra Kundu, conservation activist.