Why Are Tiger Cubs In Karnataka’s Bandipur Forest Being Fed Roadkill? 

While the usual staples of tigers in Bandipur Forest in Karnataka are monkeys, spotted deer and other smaller animals, things have taken quite a turn lately. The tiger cubs in Bandipur Forest are being fed roadkill, and the reason will surprise you!

Bandipur Forest Department Feeds Roadkills To Tiger Cubs

As per a report by Deccan Herald, forest officials in Bandipur National Park in Karnataka are fostering four tiger cubs. The little feline creatures are one year old. They were abandoned by their mother, a tigress, 50 days ago. The forest department tried locating the tigress but was unable to do so. The tiger cubs are too young to know hunting and need to sustain the terrain.

For this, a Deccan Herald report stated that the forest officials are feeding roadkill to the tiger cubs. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has guidelines that officially forbid cubs from being fed roadkill. Yet, forest officials are going against these very guidelines. Wildlife experts often discourage feeding tiger cubs as it’s against nature’s rule of survival of the fittest. It often discourages the animals from learning hunting and fending for themselves, as they are used to being served dead prey on a daily basis.

However, senior forest officials revealed to DH that they are giving the tiger cubs a chance to survive in the wild, even if it means taking such extreme measures. The reason behind this difficult decision is the death of six tigers at MM Hills. Camera traps, watchers and drones are currently being used to monitor the tiger cubs.

Also Read: Beyond Tigers: 6 Exotic Animals You Can Spot In Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Abandoned Cubs Are Currently Located In The Safari Zone

Activists believe Bandipur National Park is already saturated with tigers. And human interference can create human-animal conflict. PC Ray, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), stated to DH that the cubs would have died if left unattended. And feed wil be provided to the little felines till they are able to hunt themselves.

Also Read: India Unveils 5 Wildlife Conservation Projects For Tigers, Dolphins, Bears & Gharials

Bandipur Field Director S R Prabhakaran assured that the forest department was only feeding roadkills to the cubs. Moreover, he stated that the cubs have already started hunting small mammals. Currently, the tiger cubs are nestled in a safari zone of the park and their enclosure is out of bounds for tourists.

What do you think of the forest department’s decision to feed road kills to the cubs?

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/ Изображения пользователя Евгений Баранов