Bantala: The unprecedented scenes of violence in Satkosia sanctuary following the death of woman and a farmer in alleged attacks by the Royal Bengal Tigress Sundari has led to the formation of three teams to tranquilise the big cat, a report said Tuesday.
Professor Chandramani Nath of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Sarat Sahu from the Nandankanan Zoological Park, animal experts DK Kanbai and Piyush Soren from the Similipal sanctuary and veterinarian Dr Kishore Chandra Sahu from Satkosia have formed the three teams and are currently camping in Kumuri village in Kothabhuin panchayat to capture the animal.
Two teams from the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) are accompanying them in the operation. Earlier, the forest officials have twice tried to tranquilise the tigress, but in vain.
While one team will be deployed near the Baghamunda nature camp, the second team will be deployed near the carcass of the bullock killed by the tigress Monday. The third team will remain on a treetop platform and try to tranqulise the mamal.
The team members are trying to tranquilise the tigress before Wednesday dawn if their plans fall in place. The tigress after tranqulisation will be brought to Raiguda and will be caged inside an enclosure in the sanctuary.
The team members are carrying special guns to tranquilise the animal and have put up treetop platforms for surveillance.
They have tied goats under the treetop platforms as baits. A water sprayer and a cot to carry the tigress into the cage after tranquilising it have also been prepared for the operation.
Besides, assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Subhendu Behera is monitoring the whole operation while assistant collector Bibekananda Sahu is officiating as the magistrate.
They are being assisted by DSP DB Nayak, Purunakote forest ranger Gajendra Behera, Tikarpada forest ranger Jayant Pattnaik, Raiguda forest ranger Ghanashyam Mohant, Jilanda forest ranger Harish Pradhan, Purunakote police IIC Bijay Kumar Haibru and three platoons of police force, it was learnt.
The team members are tracking the movement of the tigress with the help of two sophisticated antennas and have also put up a cage near Baghamunda nature camp. They have imposed a ban on the entry of villagers and media persons to the territory of the tigress.
Meanwhile, Janardan Sahu, president of the Satkosia Khyatigrasta Praja Surakshya Samiti, a local outfit, has demanded immediate shifting of the tigress from Satkosia.
The tigress had reportedly mauled a farmer, Trinath Sahu, to death near Tainsi village inside Satkosia sanctuary Sunday morning.
Earlier, Sundari had allegedly mauled a 35-year-old woman to death at Hatibari village inside the sanctuary September 12 when she was taking bath in a pond near the forest.
These incidents have led to violent protests by the villagers who demanded relocation of the tigress brought here from the Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The angry villagers have torched forest beat houses and vehicles, apart from vandalising properties of the department.
PNN
