In a milestone moment for Gujarat's wildlife history, forest officials have confirmed the presence of a male Royal Bengal tiger inside Ratan Mahal Wildlife Sanctuary in Dahod district the first such sighting in 32 years. Not just a passing visitor, the five-year-old big cat has been living quietly in the region for the past nine months.
Initially photographed in the border landscape between Ratan Mahal and Madhya Pradesh's Jhabua and Kathiwada regions, the tiger's movement was captured through a grid of camera traps that have tracked his journey and settled presence.
Gujarat joins an elite big-cat club
Calling it a "proud moment," Forest Minister Arjun Modhwadia said the tiger's arrival underscores the resilience of Gujarat's ecosystems. Known globally as the last refuge of the Asiatic lion, the state now enters the rare Indian league hosting all three major big cat species, lion, leopard and tiger. Unlike fleeting tiger sightings recorded in the 1980s and early 2000s, this extended stay signals something more meaningful: the habitat is good enough for the apex predator to linger.
Wildlife experts say the tiger's arrival is no accident. Natural corridors connecting Madhya Pradesh to Gujarat have quietly done their job, enabling safe movement across forested landscapes. The tiger's long-term stay, they add, is proof that these ecological highways are still functional and vital. With the striped guest settling in, authorities are working on bolstering prey density and tightening habitat security. Ensuring the tiger feels safe and well-fed will be crucial to keeping him in Ratan Mahal for the long haul.