Madhav National Park situated in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh got a pair of tigers on Friday after a gap of 27 years. The two tigers were released in the park by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. A tigress has been brought from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and tiger is from Satpura Reserve. Earlier, officials had planned to released three tigers in the park but the third feline was to be translocated from Panna. However, the big cat is injured, forest officials told that tigress will be translocated after a couple of days. Tigress was brought from Bandhavgarh around 8 am on Friday while tiger from Satpura was brought at 11 am. The tigress supposed to be brought from Panna could not be captured by the rescue team. Rescue team continued search operation for the tigress for four hours.

The tigress was captured with the help of elephant but when medical team checked her health, she was found injured. CCF Uttam Sharma informed that an enclosure has been formed in 4,000 hectare of area in Balarpur. There are three parts inside enclosure to keep the tigers. The enclosure is 16 feet high. Water saucer is also there in the enclosure. Two cats have been radio collared for safety purpose. Wireless system is there in national park. There are six fixed station, 11 mountain vehicle and 90 handsets in the park for safety of big cats. These tigers will be kept in enclosure for ten to fifteen days and later they will be released into the wild. Officials are identifying spots in the park where tigers can make their territory. The tiger brought from Satpura is three-years-old and he is very healthy. The tigress is also around three-years-old. CCF Uttam Sharma said that the park will be developed on pattern of Panna Tiger Reserve, Sanjay Dubri National Park and Nauradehi Sanctuary. In the second phase, two tigers will be shifted. Total five tigers are to be released in the Madhav park.

The national park has adequate population of herbivores, which will be the prey base of tigers when they will be released into the wild. The presence of tigers will draw visitors to park. He said that team was planning for tiger reintroduction for past two years. Officials said that before 1970, Madhav National Park had considerable number of tigers but they were hunted by royals before Wildlife Protection Act came into force. Later, safari facility was introduced under which eight to ten tigers were kept in the park. However, Apex Court intervened following which tigers were shifted elsewhere. Madhav National Park got status of National Park in the year 1958. At that time, Shivpuri was the main hunting place of Mughal kings. There are two entry gates NH-25 (Old Jhansi Road) and Agra-Mumbai Road (7 km away from Gwalior).