Angul: Now, the Satkosia tiger project in Angul district is in doldrums. But the Forest department, which has been blamed for the alleged failure of the tiger project, is busy bolstering the security and infrastructural aspects of the project area. This has signalled a fresh hope in giving a new lease of life to the tiger project, which has been put on hold for the last four years after the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) stalled the project November 15, 2018. This has happened after death of tiger Mahaveer while tigress Sundari which was brought from Bandhavgarh National Park has been sent back to its habitat.
Locals and wildlife activists are unsure if the tiger conservation project will ever be effective and successful. However, learning from the past mistakes, the Forest department has laid stress on strengthening the infrastructure and security of the project area in view of initiatives to rework on the project again in future. Meanwhile, an NTCA team has taken stock of the Satkosia reserve area. Rich in biodiversity, Satkosia wildlife sanctuary is spread over 795.52 sq km in Angul, Cuttack, Nayagarh and Boudh districts. It was accorded wildlife sanctuary status in 1976. Its area has been expanded later.
In 2002, the elephant project was introduced here while the tiger project was started in 2007. In the 2014 wildlife census, only two tigers were present in the sanctuary. The government planned for tiger conservation in Satkosia in 2016. The Central government was proposed to bring tigers from other states. On June 21, 2018, a male tiger called Mahaveer was brought from Kanha National Park of Madhya Pradesh and a tigress called Sundari was brought from Bandhavgarh June 28. Mahaveer was released into the sanctuary July 6 while the tigress was released August 17.
However, owing to mismanagement of the Forest department, the tigress killed two people leading to a huge agitation from the fearstricken locals. The tigress was brought back to its enclosure November 6, 2018. On November 14, the tiger project got a severe jolt as the tiger Mahaveer was found dead. Hence, the NTCA had to postpone the project.
On March 23, 2021, the tigress too was sent back to Bandhavgarh National Park. The project has been put on hold for some period while infrastructure development has been given top priority now. As part of the exercise, the antipoaching squad and watchers have been appointed. A new system like web patrolling has been launched.
Under this system, the staff engaged will have to patrol in a circular way and monitor wildlife movement, detect issues in the sanctuary, growth of flora, and keep tabs on people’s movement in forests. Security has been tightened against poachers. As for the future of the project, regional chief conservator of forests (RCCF) and field director of Satkosia tiger project M Jogjayanad said that infrastructure for the project is being strengthened now. “It will take three to four years to bring tigers. Well before that, the villages in the core area will be relocated. Hence, tigers will have wider scope for roaming and hunting.
Besides, other wildlife will be secured. Web patrolling is under way and it is being recorded. Special initiatives have been taken to increase the population of herbivores in the sanctuary,” he said. Satkosia DFO Saroj Panda said that Kataranga village has been relocated from the core area while a plan is afoot to shift other villages like Tulika, Gopalpur, Purunakote and Tikarpada. “Earlier, villagers and Forest officials in Satkosia were not in good terms, leading to some issues. Now, people are in regular contact with the officials. The NTCA team had stayed in Satkosia from September 24 to 28 and conducted field survey. The team expressed its happiness over the ongoing infrastructure improvement work,” the DFO asserted.
