Rescued Tiger shifted to Dnyanganga sanctuary for rewilding in Maharashtra

A three-year-old tiger rescued as a cub has been relocated to the Dnyanganga Wildlife Sanctuary in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district as part of a rewilding initiative, forest officials said on Sunday.

The tiger, identified as PKT7CP1 , was rescued along with its sister from Yavatmal district after the two lost their mother at the age of six months. Following the rescue, the cubs were shifted to a specialised facility at the Pench Tiger Reserve in Nagpur district, where they were raised under expert supervision.

According to officials, the big cats have successfully acquired essential survival skills required for life in the wild. “The animals are now ready for release into their natural habitat,” a statement issued by the Range Forest Officer (Wildlife), Buldhana, said.

PKT7CP1 has been moved to the Dnyanganga Wildlife Sanctuary and is currently being housed in a five-hectare enclosure for acclimatisation before its eventual release. The tiger’s sister, meanwhile, will be released into the Painganga Wildlife Sanctuary in Yavatmal district as part of the same conservation programme.

Forest officials said the rewilding effort aims to strengthen tiger populations while ensuring minimal human-animal conflict through careful monitoring and phased release.