Kanha’s Unique Experiment: Rewilding Brings Orphaned Tigers Back to the Wild: Syed Asim Ali
“Through special training and monitoring, orphaned cubs get a new life, creating an inspiring model in tiger conservation.”
Bhopal@Syed Asim Ali: Environment & Wildlife Journalist: In India, the tiger is not just an animal but a symbol of strength, courage, and biodiversity. Ironically, this majestic creature, once roaming freely in India’s dense forests, today faces serious challenges to its survival. Against this backdrop, the rewilding efforts at Kanha Tiger Reserve stand out as a remarkable and inspiring experiment for the survival and long-term conservation of orphaned tigers.
Normally, if tiger cubs lose their mother in the wild, their chances of survival are minimal. They lack the skills to hunt, navigate the forest, or protect themselves. In natural circumstances, a cub without its mother rarely survives. Essential life skills—hunting, orientation, self-defense—are all taught by the mother. Here, rewilding becomes a lifeline for such orphans.
What is Rewilding?
In this experiment, orphaned cubs are kept in a controlled yet natural environment. They are shielded from human interference while learning how to recognize prey, hunt independently, and survive in the wild. Once self-reliant, they are released back into their natural habitat.
Kanha National Park and the Global Importance of Rewilding
Located in Madhya Pradesh, Kanha Tiger Reserve is a biodiversity hotspot—home to the Bengal tiger, the hard-ground swamp deer (barasingha), leopards, wild dogs, sloth bears, and hundreds of bird species. Known as the “Land of the Barasingha,” Kanha’s conservation programs revived this deer species that was once on the brink of extinction.
Kanha today stands as a living example of rewilding and species recovery. It is also recognized globally as a model of eco-tourism and environmental education. The aim of rewilding is to restore ecosystems by bringing back apex predators and keystone species, which in turn stabilize food chains and natural cycles.
Carbon capture & climate resilience: Healthy forests act as carbon sinks. Rewilding supports forest regeneration, helping mitigate global warming.
Global conservation: At a time when many species are disappearing, rewilding offers them a second chance in their natural habitat.
Livelihoods: Rewilding promotes eco-tourism, providing income and employment for local communities.
Examples worldwide—wolves returning to Europe, bison conservation in the U.S., and Kanha in India—show that rewilding is a path toward coexistence between humans and nature.
Why Kanha is Considered a Success Story
Barasingha revival: The swamp deer population has been successfully restored.
Return of top predators: Tigers and wild dogs maintain food chain balance.
Habitat restoration: Grasslands, wetlands, and forests have been managed and rejuvenated.
Landscape-level conservation: Buffer zones and wildlife corridors make it a replicable model worldwide.
Kanha proves that with the right strategies, threatened species and ecosystems can bounce back.
Key Conservation Significance
- Saving orphaned cubs – Cubs that would otherwise die get a new chance at life.
- Promoting natural behavior – Tigers are raised to survive in the wild, not in captivity.
- Preserving biodiversity – Tiger numbers and genetic diversity are both protected.
- Innovation in conservation – Kanha’s model is not just an Indian experiment but a global benchmark.
Thus, Kanha’s rewilding program is not only about saving tigers, but also about striking a balance in human–wildlife relationships and ensuring sustainable development.
The Rewilding Process at Ghorela Centre (Mukki Range, Kanha)
In 2007, the Ghorela Rewilding Centre was established in the Mukki Range. Since then, many orphaned cubs have been prepared for release into the wild.
Cubs aged 3–4 months are brought from rescue centers (like Van Vihar in Bhopal) to Ghorela.
They are kept for 2–2.5 years under strict monitoring of health, hunting skills, and behavior.
Training includes a gradual food chain: milk → chicken → goat → deer.
If a cub successfully hunts a deer within 4–5 days, it is deemed ready for release.
The Ghorela Enclosures:
A small quarantine area for cubs (3 months–1 year old).
An 11-hectare carnivore-proof enclosure divided for training.
A 35-hectare herbivore enclosure stocked with prey like chital.
Watchtowers, CCTV, and minimal human contact ensure natural behavior.
Impact and Global Recognition
Since 2007, 10 tigers have been successfully rewilded and released into forests.
The “Ghorela Model” is now adopted by NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) and replicated in reserves like Panna, Nauradehi, Satpura, and Sanjay Tiger Reserves.
Kanha’s efforts have also restored the hard-ground barasingha population, once nearly extinct.
Local communities have been engaged in eco-tourism and conservation, making it a people’s movement.
Conclusion
Kanha Tiger Reserve stands as a shining example of how science, long-term vision, and community participation can revive ecosystems. Rewilding here has not only given orphaned tigers a second life but also shown the world that nature, if given a chance, can heal itself.
Kanha’s success demonstrates that rewilding is not just a conservation strategy—it is a philosophy of coexistence, resilience, and hope for the planet.
