Captive tigers short of food

By Jyoti Panti,Babai (Bardiya), Dec. 31: Problematic tigers kept at Bardiya National Park (BNP) and the Rambhapur check post in Bardiya district are facing a shortage of food.

The tigers were rescued from different places in the district and brought to the park. However, the park has been unable to provide them with the required amount of food.

At present, three problematic tigers are kept at the Rambhapur check post along the East-West Highway, while two are kept at BNP office, making a total of five tigers. 

Although a tiger requires about 15 kilograms of meat per day, the park provides only seven kilograms of meat every two days to the confined tigers.

Experts said that giving just seven kilograms of meat in two days to a tiger that normally eats up to 15 kg a day is far from sufficient. Due to the lack of adequate food arrangements for rescued problematic tigers, some of them have started losing weight. Reports suggested that the food provided meets less than 50 per cent of their actual requirement.

Keeping the “king of the jungle” inside enclosures has also created management challenges. The tigers were captured and kept in cages, as releasing them could increase human-wildlife conflict.

Officials said that the cost of feeding them has exceeded Rs. 100,000 per month, forcing the park to reduce the food supply.

Sarojmani Poudel, Information Officer at BNP, said it has not been possible to feed the tigers as per their daily requirement. “One tiger needs about 15 kg of meat a day, but at present we are giving only seven kg every two days,” he said. The continued confinement of problematic tigers has added a financial burden to the park.