Gujarat has recorded the return of a tiger to its forests after more than three decades, with officials confirming that a Royal Bengal tiger has established a home in the Ratan Mahal Wildlife Sanctuary in Dahod district. The male tiger, estimated to be around five years old, has been living in the sanctuary for the past nine months, marking a significant ecological milestone for the state.
Long known as the last refuge of the Asiatic lion, Gujarat now joins a rare group of Indian states that host all three major big cat species, lion, leopard, and tiger. Forest Minister Arjun Modhwadia described the development as a moment of pride, noting that it reflects the resilience and diversity of the state’s ecosystems.
Senior forest officials said the tiger was first detected in the border regions of Ratan Mahal, adjoining the Jhabua and Kathiwada forests of Madhya Pradesh, landscapes that have recorded a steady rise in tiger numbers. They believe the animal may have dispersed naturally from Madhya Pradesh in search of new territory as populations there expanded.
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Since the initial sighting, the Gujarat Forest Department has monitored the tiger through camera traps and field patrols. The department has now released clear photographic evidence establishing the animal’s continued presence deep within the sanctuary’s dense forest tracts. Unlike the brief, isolated sightings recorded in the 1980s and early 2000s, officials said the latest case shows signs of a stable and favourable habitat.
Wildlife experts view the development as an encouraging indicator of improving corridor connectivity between the two states. Authorities are also assessing prey density and habitat security in Ratan Mahal to support the tiger’s long-term survival.
With lions thriving in Saurashtra, leopards spread across central Gujarat, and now a tiger making its home in Dahod, the state has emerged as an unusually diverse big-cat landscape, underscoring an evolving chapter in Gujarat’s conservation efforts.
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