Jaipur, May 14 – Forest authorities have tranquillised a tigress suspected of involvement in two fatal attacks in Rajasthan's Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, following heightened concerns over her proximity to human settlements.
The tigress, known as Kankati, was tranquillised on Wednesday after she ventured close to a hotel near the periphery of the reserve. A forest department official confirmed that she would be held in an enclosure while deciding on a possible relocation.
Kankati, the daughter of the well-known tigress Arrowhead, is believed to have been involved in two deadly incidents. The first occurred on April 16 when a seven-year-old boy was killed near the Trinetra Ganesh temple. The second took place on Sunday, when forest ranger Devendra Chaudhary was fatally attacked while on duty in the Jogi Mahal area of the park.
According to forest officials and wildlife experts, the behavioural shift in Kankati may be linked to the practice of feeding her mother, Arrowhead, and her cubs due to Arrowhead’s inability to hunt. Bait was routinely provided in the Jogi Mahal area, delivered by vehicles, which may have desensitised the cubs to human presence and cars, leading to the tragic encounters.
In response to the attacks, authorities have suspended safari operations in two of the reserve’s ten tourism zones and restricted public access to the Trinetra Ganesh temple as a precautionary measure.
Wildlife experts continue to assess the tigress’s behaviour and next steps to prevent further incidents.
