For nearly three decades, Rajasthan’s Kailadevi Wildlife Sanctuary had no documented successful tiger breeding. Tigers passed through its forests, but could they raise cubs here again?

That has finally changed.

Over the past five years, eight cubs and three adult tigers have been recorded here, raising hopes of a breeding population beyond Ranthambore.

The discovery is detailed in a new study by WWF-India and the Rajasthan Forest Department, released in Jaipur on 16 October 2026.

What happens next matters.

Why the birth of eight cubs matters

Located in Rajasthan’s Karauli district, Kailadevi Wildlife Sanctuary spreads across approximately 674 sq km of forests, rocky hills and deep ravines.

Established in 1983, it forms the northern extension of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.

For tigers moving out of Ranthambore, these forests offer a route towards other wildlife habitats, including the Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve and Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park.

But a forest where a tiger can travel is different from one where it can raise cubs.

A mother needs sheltered spaces to protect her young, enough wild animals to hunt and a suitable habitat where her cubs can grow.

That is what makes the recent breeding........

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