AP Forest dept shifts tiger cubs to in-situ facility in Tirupati

Tirupati : After failing to reunite four tiger cubs found in a village in Nandyala district of Andhra Pradesh with their mother, the Forest department has safely shifted the litter to an in-situ conservation centre near Tirupati, an official said on Friday.
The all-female litter found more than four days ago at Gummadapuram village has safely reached the Tirupati zoo, he said.
“The tiger cubs have reached Tirupati zoo safely and have been handed over,” said Allen Teron, deputy director, Atmakur, Wildlife Division, Nagarjunsagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR).
Late on Thursday, after failing to reunite the cubs with the tigress, the Forest department decided to shift the cubs as per the instructions of the principal chief conservator of forests and the chief wildlife warden to an in-situ enclosure at Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park (SVZP).
Laden in perforated wooden boxes, the cubs were taken to the Tirupati Zoo in a convoy in the night, after efforts to restore them to the mother, even after surpassing the crucial 48-hour timeline key for the tigress to accept or reject the litter.
Also Read Andhra Pradesh: Attempt to reunite 4 tiger cubs with mother fails It took more than 40 hours after the timeline for the southern state’s forest department to take the final decision on the litter found by a villager going to attend nature’s call on Monday morning.