Uttarakhand in talks to bring in white tigers from Madhya Pradesh

Maharaj told The Indian Express: “I have directed the Tourism Department officials to chalk out a plan to promote tourism for the new tiger safari park. To make it more attractive and exciting for the tourists, we are trying to bring a white tiger from MP to the safari park.” The project is likely to be completed by November 2021 and will cost the state Rs 150 crore.

It was Rewa’s Maharaja Martand Singh who first caught a white tiger cub on May 27, 1951 from Sidhi district—the cub was named Mohan and brought back to Rewa. Today, most white tigers in captivity across the world trace their lineage back to Mohan. Rewa also has a White Tiger Sanctuary, complete with a safari. Interestingly, Mohena Singh—the granddaughter of Martand Singh—is married to Maharaj’s younger son, Suyesh Rawat.

Whether the effort yields any result remains to be seen since shifting tigers to a new habitat is a lengthy procedure and has to be done keeping in mind many parameters. It also involves the Central Zoo Authority, which is supposed to conduct a thorough analysis of whether the climate and environment in the new place would be favourable to the animal.