The Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan is now working to further enhance the biodiversity of the park by adding sloth bears after being successful in recovering the number of big cats. Two pairs of sloth bears will be relocated from Jalore district’s Sundha Mata forest area and introduced to the national park during the coming days.
“We have received permission to shift two pairs of sloth bears to Sariksa.Teams have been formed for the relocation of sloth bears which will be done in the next few days,” Roop Narayan Meena, Field Director, Sariska Tiger Reserve, told PTI. He further added that sloth bears are mainly found in Sundha Mata area in Jalore besides Mount Abu.
“The sloth bears are being shifted to Sariska to enhance the biodiversity of the park,” he said. Meena promised that precautions for the animal’s oversight and care would be taken.
Sloth Bear is a major species found in the hills and mountains of western India’s semiarid region.The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has classified it as “vulnerable”.
Sariska’s tiger relocation programme is well known. In 2008, a tiger relocation programme was introduced under which two big cats were initially relocated from Ranthambore Tiger Reverse after all tigers in Sariska disappeared in 2005.
Since then, the tiger population has recovered, and the latest sighting of two cubs has brought the total number of big cats to 27. There are six cubs, eight males, and 13 females in all.
Sariska is spread out over 1213.34 sq km in the Aravalli hills which is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, and is situated in the Rajasthani district of Alwar, 60 km from the national capital.