A new tiger has been spotted in Jharkhand’s Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR), raising the total number of big cats in the reserve to seven. Officials confirmed that the four-year-old male tiger was recently captured on a high-resolution camera installed within the reserve.
Following the sighting, PTR authorities have issued a high alert and are closely monitoring the tiger’s movements.
“We have identified a new male tiger in PTR, approximately four years old. Its stripe pattern is distinctly different from other tigers in the reserve,” said PTR Deputy Director Prajesh Kant Jena. Additional cameras and forest personnel have been deployed to track the tiger’s movements, he added.
Officials indicated that the new tiger may have entered the reserve via the tiger corridors from Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh or neighbouring Chhattisgarh. At present, authorities have direct or indirect evidence of seven tigers in the reserve.
Efforts are underway to retain these tigers within Jharkhand. Measures include improving the prey base and setting up four soft release camps in the reserve, where Cheetal (spotted deer) are being introduced to boost the food supply for the big cats.
Soft release camps allow animals to acclimatise in pre-release cages before gradually venturing out, while still providing access to shelter, food, and water. In addition, grasslands are being developed and check dams constructed to ensure adequate food and water for the deer relocated from Betla forest.
Palamu Tiger Reserve, established in 1973 and spanning 1,230 sq km, had 22 tigers in 1972, with the population peaking at 71 in 1995.
However, by 2014, only three tigers remained, and the 2019 Status of Tigers in India report indicated no tigers in PTR. The recent sightings mark a significant recovery, with the tiger population now increasing steadily.
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