Gangtok, Dec 4: A Royal Bengal tiger cub was spotted on Tuesday afternoon in the forested area of Chongay under the Shyari constituency in Gangtok district, approximately 8 kilometres from the state capital.
The rare sighting was made by a school student who was returning home when he noticed the young tiger near the edge of the forest. The student promptly clicked a photograph and informed his father, who immediately alerted the authorities.
Following the report, area MLA and Advisor to the Forest Department, Tenzing Norbu Lamtha, along with forest officials, rushed to the location to assess the situation and initiate rescue measures. However, by the time the team reached the site, the cub had already moved deeper into the forest.
Forest Department teams have since launched a search operation to trace the cub and ensure its safety, while maintaining vigilance in the surrounding areas.
The sighting is rare for this part of Sikkim and occurred in the Eastern Himalayan Subtropical Broadleaf Forest, which is an ideal habitat for tigers. Witnesses described the cub as healthy and alert. Forest authorities have launched an investigation.
This incident is highly significant for conservation, especially because the presence of a cub suggests possible breeding activity and that a female tiger may be nearby. It follows a May 2024 sighting of an adult tiger via camera traps 25 km from Gangtok. Conservationists view the development as an encouraging sign of improving ecological health and expanding wildlife movement in Sikkim. Residents have been asked to remain vigilant and report any further sightings.
