India willing to share tigers to help Cambodia, experts call for caution

At the conclusion of the third Asia ministerial conference on tiger conservation India signalled that it is willing to share its Bengal tigers in countries such as Cambodia where the animal has no viable breeding population.

Translocation and reintroduction of tigers has never happened between two countries. "We are willing to provide all co-operation in this regard and the idea will be taken ahead when all issues are looked at," said Prakash Javadekar, union minister for environment, forest and climate change.

As per World Wildlife Fund, tigers are "functionally extinct" in Cambodia as there is no breeding population left. India on the other hand has 2,226 Bengal tigers constituting 70 per cent of the global tiger population as per the 2014 population estimation exercise. Though the two countries engaged in conversation on this issue at the global conference, Cambodia is yet to officially move a proposal requesting India to consider sharing its tigers.

"The Eastern highlands are conducive for tiger reintroduction in Cambodia. By way of this global conference, we have begun talks with India on this issue. But before submitting any proposals to India we will have to look at the feasibility of reintroduction," Ty Sokhun, Secretary of State, Agriculture, Forest and Fisheries told dna.

While India is home to the Bengal or royal Bengal tiger sub-species of tiger Cambodia had the Indochinese tigers, also found in neighbouring Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. Tiger experts said that a plan to reintroduce tigers from India in another tiger range has to be thought out carefully since its success depends on numerous factors.

"Elaborate planning and background study is required for such a proposal. First of all, the recipient country needs to have suitable habitat and prey base to sustain tigers from another sub-species. If that is not available then reintroduction will fail. The beginning of a conversation on this reintroduction is welcome but it should be done only when all the necessary checks are carried out," said Rajesh Gopal, secretary general, Global Tiger Forum and former head of Project Tiger.

Panna a successful

In India, Panna Tiger Reserve has successfully managed a full-scale translocation and reintroduction programme after all but one tiger was left. The reserve got four females from other tiger reserves along with two males to mate. Today, Panna has more than 30 tigers.