HC dismisses plea against shifting of Ranthambore tiger

The bench backed the forest officials and staff posted at the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. “It is well known that Ranthambore is managed by extremely dedicated and carefully selected forest officers and staff. Their training and expertise in wildlife and tiger management is of the highest degree.

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They sincerely monitor the behaviour and movement of each and every tiger in the reserve and even maintain their track record. They in fact do everything to protect the tiger right from the stage of birth. Such is the commitment of forest guards that they do patrolling on foot with no arms even to defend themselves when suddenly encountered by carnivorous wild animals. They risk their lives fearlessly to protect wild animals,” the bench said.

The petitioner had argued that Ustad was hastily shifted under the pressure of powerful tourism lobby thriving around the reserve and without any scientific probe. He had alleged that no prior permission was taken from the National Tiger Conservation Authority and shifting the tiger had spelt danger to a tigress, the relocated tiger’s partner, and their cubs.

The bench maintained that T-24 had mauled a forest guard to death and this was his fourth kill in five years.

“Having regard to these successive killings by the same tiger, a decision was taken by the forest officials who are experts in wildlife and tiger management to translocate T-24. The decision of the experts under no stretch of imagination can be held to be hasty, arbitrary or unreasonable. On the contrary, we find that the decision was taken bonafidely as the best option for tiger T-24. We are unable to agree with the petitioner that decision to shift T-24 was under pressure of powerful tourism lobby. This we say because tourism thrives on the tigers of Ranthambore and it is not the other way round. Also any move to shift tiger from it is countered with huge protests by everyone, including the tourism lobby,” the bench observed.