Bhubaneswar/Bantala: A male Royal Bengal Tiger (RBT) was Thursday brought to the Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Angul district in a special vehicle from the Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, a senior forest official said.
“One male RBT of less than three years reached Satkosia from Madhya Pradesh. It has been brought as part of the state government’s efforts to increase the tiger population and maintain biodiversity in the Satkosia reserve,” Sandeep Tripathy, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) told reporters.
Tripathy said five more tigers will be brought to Satkosia in different phases.
The state government has planned to release tigers in Satkosia reserve to increase tiger population in the state. Though there are two RBTs in Satkosia, both have become old and over 13 years.
Sources said the team comprising personnel from Odisha and Madhya Pradesh forest officials left Kanha Wednesday with the tiger after tranquillising it. The big cat was brought to Odisha in a special vehicle fitted with fans and water sprinklers to regulate the mammal’s body temperature.
Tripathy said the forest department had already shifted people from the core area of the Satkosia sanctuary where the tiger would be released after its health examination. A special enclosure with iron grill has been built in the core forest area for the purpose, he said.
“After its successful movement in the habitat, arrangements would be made to bring the remaining five RBTs from Madhya Pradesh,” Tripathy said.
Shifting of tigers from another state to Odisha to boost big cat population is a first of its kind in the country. Earlier, two pairs of tigers were shifted to Ranthambore National Park of Rajasthan and three pairs in Panna Tiger Project in Madhya Pradesh to increase tiger population. But in both these cases, the tigers were brought from the home states. In case of Satkosia, tigers from MP would be shifted in three phases.
PNN