Mumbai: SGNP wildlife obtained two tigers

Good news for wildlife enthusiasts as Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) is now home to a male and female tiger from Nagpur’s Gorewada Zoo. Due to the newly inaugurated Nagpur-Shirdi stretch of the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway, SGNP authorities were able to save over 16 hours while bringing the big cats to the city.

To obtain the pair capable of breeding was made possible by Dr Clement Ben, additional principal chief conservator of forests (APCCF), Western Wildlife Region, Mumbai, and SGNP Director G Mallikarjun. They were consistently following up on the same with the Nagpur PCCF’s office and Gorewada Zoo authorities. Superintendent of Tiger and Lion Safaris and Range Forest Officer (RFO) Vijay Barabde along with his team also went to Nagpur to bring the tigers.

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Barabde told Mid-Day, “We started our journey with the tigers from Gorewada Zoo on Wednesday afternoon and reached SGNP on Thursday. Earlier, we used to take 35 to 37 hours to reach Mumbai from Nagpur via road, as we used to take halts so that animals did not get exhausted. However, this time we took the Samruddhi Expressway, which saved more than 16 hours.”

Barabde added that both tigers are in isolation at SGNP so that they get used to their new environment.


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On January 1, the female, P-1, was rescued near Nagbhid in the Brahmapuri forest division and was later shifted to Gorewada Zoo. The 3-year-old male was rescued on December 28 at Chandrapur forest division and it was also shifted to the zoo. Both had been captured amid conflict situations.