The Government has given ‘in-principle' nod to set up a breeding centre for the endangered white tigers in Madhya Pradesh as part of conservation efforts.
An Environment and Forests Ministry official said the Central Zoo Authority has given ‘in principle' approval for the breeding centre at Govindgarh in Madhya Pradesh.
“The Central Zoo Authority has initiated action for setting up a conservation breeding centre for white tiger at Govindgarh in Rewa through the State of Madhya Pradesh,” the official said.
“You cannot see white tigers in the wild. They are in captivity only. There are 91 white tigers housed in 21 different Indian zoos,” Mr Rajesh Gopal, Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority, said.
Asked if the Government plans to set up a reserve exclusively for white tigers, Mr Gopal said, “Not at present”. He cited various reasons including the doubts over the survival capacity of the rare cats in natural habitat.
The Government preferred Madhya Pradesh to set up the conservation breeding centre as the last white tiger named Mohan was caught in the forests of Sidhi district (now the Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve) in 1950 and reared by the erstwhile Maharaja of Rewa at Govindgarh.