Bantala (Angul): Royal Bengal Tigress Sundari is languishing in an enclosure at Satkosia. Its fate hangs in uncertainties as it has been groping in the jungles of Raigoda inside the Wildlife Sanctuary in Angul district, thanks to the official indecision.
It has been exactly a month since the tranquilisation of Sundari after it was captured November 8 last. However, the state Forest Department and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) are still tight-lipped over the relocation of the Royal Bengal Tigress.
While the condition of the tigress is stated to be stable and a high-level committee has been entrusted to monitor its movement in the enclosure, the fate of the big cat, whether it would be released into the core area or be shifted to any other place remains a question.
Wild life experts, on the other hand, apprehended that the tigress would become more aggressive by staying inside the enclosure for a longer period.
The elusive tigress that was tranquilised with the help of ‘Kumki’ elephant ‘Jashoda’ from Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary, has been in the enclosure for a month now.
It may be recalled Sundari, which was brought from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh June 29 was released into the wild August 18.
Soon after, the tigress was blamed for the deaths of a woman from Hatibari village September 12 and a man from Tainsi village October 27. Villagers also alleged it of attacking many persons including a journalist and pouncing on livestock.
Following the deaths, the Forest and Environment minister Bijasyshree Routray had said the tigress would be kept inside an enclosure at Nandankanan Zoological Park.
However, neither the Forest Department nor the NTCA has made it clear that whether she would be released into wild of Satkosia again or taken back to the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh from where she was brought June 29.
Sources said the NTCA has decided to release Sundari again into the wild of Satkosia. It has also been decided to install more than 200 CCTV cameras in the core area of the sanctuary to monitor her movement.
However, the death of Bengal tiger ‘Mahavir’, whose carcass was found in the sanctuary November 15 in the core area of the sanctuary, has made wild life experts skeptical.
They are of the opinion that the prolonged stay of tigress inside the enclosure will make her more aggressive and it can spell trouble once she is released into the wild.
“Since Sundari was not brought to Satkosia to be kept inside an enclosure, efforts should be made to release her into the wild,” said wildlife experts.
PNN