- India's plan for white tigers reintroduction back to the wild moves forward

[The Hitavada] White tigers have attracted the attention of people ever since the first white tiger was discovered by Rewa Maharaja Martand Singh in the year 1952. However, not many white tigers have been seen in wild since last many decades. As of now, nine white tigers are in captivity of Indore and Rewa zoo. Now a discussion has started that as captive white tigers are unable to survive in wild due to lack of hunting skills but there are chances that their next generation, after proper training of hunting, can survive in wild. A proposal has been moved by Madhya Pradesh Forest Department’s wildlife wing to the State Government in this regard.

In a latest development towards the species, Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has written a letter to the NTCA that white tiger has also hunting skill and they can be introduced to natural habitat for further survival. Along with the letter WII has marked the copy to MP’s Chief Wildlife Warden for further perusal to reintroducing white tigers in Vindhya region- which is better known as their origin. Concerned over the letter of WII, wildlife wing of Madhya Pradesh Forest Department wrote to Government for further perusal of proposal and find out way for reintroducing the white tigers in natural habitat of Madhya Pradesh. Experts said that white tigers have spent long time in captivity hence they are unable to survive in wild. They are now crowd-favourite in zoos and they even breed in captivity.

Technical wing of WII earlier said that reintroduction of white tiger into natural habitat is not possible as white tiger is not a separate sub-species of tiger but only an aberration of the Royal Bengal Tiger so they have no conservation value. U Prakasham, Chief Wildlife Warden of MP said, “Zoo tigers could not survive in natural habitat.

It is possible that their next generation may survive in wild. We have proposed Government for further perusal to reintroduce white tigers in wild after WII wrote to NTCA. It is just a proposal-cum-opinion and nothing is finalised yet.”