Bhopal, March 27 : The disappearance of a tiger cub from Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) has once again brought the reserve into the spotlight, capturing the attention of park authorities and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

The missing cub belonged to tigress P-141, who recently gave birth to her fourth litter of four cubs. These cubs, aged seven to eight months, were often seen frolicking with their mother, delighting tourists with their playful antics until about two weeks ago.

Speaking to IANS over the phone, Anjana Suchita Tirkey, the park's field director, explained that the cub is 'not necessarily missing, as presumed.' She pointed out that tigresses in the wild may sometimes abandon or even kill weaker offspring as part of nature's way of ensuring the survival of the fittest.

"It is a natural process, normally a tigress rears its cubs till two years in wild," Tirkey stated, adding, "A team of field staff is searching for the cub, and if it is found alive, it would need to be kept in captivity and raised by the park authorities."

According to Tirkey, the cub may have been abandoned a fortnight ago when it was last spotted in the park's tourist zone.

Videos of the cubs regularly went viral on social media, showcasing the thriving tiger population in the reserve -- a significant milestone for Panna, which had faced the complete disappearance of its tiger population back in 2009.

However, the joy of observing these cubs has now turned to concern, as only three cubs remain by the tigress's side, with the 'missing one' unaccounted for over a fortnight.

The incident has prompted an intensified response from the forest department. Under Tirkey's directive, a focused search operation is underway, involving teams of forest officials supported by four elephants.

These teams are combing the grasslands of the park, following pugmarks in hopes of locating the cub.

Despite their efforts, no traces of the cub have been found thus far. Experienced mahouts and forest personnel are steadfast in their efforts to locate the cub and ascertain the truth behind the cub's absence.

According to the officer, the park has 63 adult tigers. The tiger census includes the tigers of two years or more. Of them, 30 are female.

/IANS