Bantala: It seems that a fight over territory has already begun at Satkosia Tiger Reserve (STR) between the old tigress and tigress Sundari.
After seeing visuals of the old tigress jumping at the wire net of the enclosure where Sundari has been kept and Sundari pouncing back at her rival captured in CCTV cameras, the forest department has said that it is going to take steps to avoid such confrontations between the two big cats.
Tigress Sundari has been in the enclosure at Raiguda in the STR since November 6 2018 after she killed human beings. To monitor the activities of Sundari, the department has kept the enclosure under surveillance of CCTV cameras.
The recent footages captured in the CCTV cameras have left the forest department worried. The footages show the old tigress in the STR coming up to the enclosure most of the days and jumping at the wire net, inviting Sundari to a fight. The old tigress is seen moving near the enclosure net and jumping at the net, trying to go the other side and rip apart her rival in the jungle. And Sundari, who has a record of having killed human beings, is also seen jumping at the net, suggesting she is also ready to take on her rival.
Scenes of the two tigresses inviting each other to an arena are recently being seen more frequently and they it starts at about 5pm and continues till mid night.
When contacted, regional chief conservator of forest (RCCF) Pradeep Raj Karate said, “Tigers generally identify the areas of their territories. For this a beast has to fight with another. This has also happened in case of the old tigress and tigress Sundari.”
They are challenging each other. After seeing the tigresses being hostile to each other, the existing net has been covered with green nets, camouflaging trees and bushes to keep the big cats away from each other. Even after that, they, after sniffing and seeing each other through small holes, are pouncing on the net to kill the other, he added.
PNN
