The overcrowded Gorewada Wildlife Research and Training Centre (WRTC) in Nagpur has initiated the transfer of tigers to other zoos after receiving clearance from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA). In the first phase, six tigers have been relocated to ease the burden on the facility.
First Phase Transfers Completed
Gorewada zoo director Pandurang Pakhale confirmed that four tigers were shifted to Ludhiana zoo and two to Jamnagar zoo earlier this month. The process is part of a broader strategy to manage the centre's capacity, which has been exceeded with over two dozen predators housed there.
Second Phase Underway
Paperwork is currently in progress to transfer one tiger each to Mumbai and Katraj zoos in the second phase. However, Pakhale noted that these two tigers were not originally marked for public display, which the receiving zoos require. Clearance for public display is being sought before the transfers can proceed.
Earlier, TOI reported that WRTC had stopped accepting new carnivores due to overcrowding. The only recent exception was Bharat, an Asiatic lion brought in on medical grounds. The centre also turned back a leopard captured in Sindewahi last November.
Impact and Future Plans
Officials believe the transfers will significantly reduce pressure on the rescue centre. A proposal to construct six new tiger enclosures with a combined capacity for 24 animals is pending government approval. WRTC is jointly operated by Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University (MAFSU) and the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM).
Health Status of Asiatic Lion Bharat
Meanwhile, Bharat, the four-year-old Asiatic lion shifted from Mumbai to Gorewada last week, has shown no signs of recovery. Veterinary teams continue treatment for multiple health complications, including deep bed sores on both hips, partial paralysis, hair loss, and a trypanosoma infection. Sources indicate that the lion may have been transferred too late for effective recovery. Bharat was brought to Mumbai from Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden in January 2025.
