Bantala/Boinda: A team from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) which is in Odisha to study the behaviour of Royal Bengal Tigress Sundari maintained that there was no question of shifting the big cat to any other place and she will continue to stay in Satkosia Tiger Reserve, a report said Monday
“This is an ambitious mission and project taken up by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to increase the number of big cats in the country. As this project is finalised, any alteration and change in the decision will be very difficult. We have studied several aspects of this project in detail and any problem arising on this issue would be settled in a sustained manner,” WII expert Dr Ramesh said while speaking to media persons Monday.
Talking about the protests from people of the villages in and around Satkosia sanctuary demanding to relocate the tigress, he said the state forest department will seek their cooperation.
Talking about the woman’s death, Ramesh said the public outrage is quite obvious due to the unfortunate incident. But for such an unexpected and stray incident, shifting of the tigress is not justified, he said, adding adequate steps are being taken to ensure that there will be no such incident in future.
The team of WII, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and NTCA reached Satkosia Saturday and began monitoring Sundari’s behaviour the following day.
In a separate incident, a woman reportedly lost her sense and collapsed on the ground after she caught a glimpse of Sundari while working at a farm near Kusumkunduri under Athamallik forest division Monday.
Jayanti Biswal of Kusumkunduri was rescued by farm workers. The incident has sparked panic among the villagers in Doruha, Limbadiha, Karabhasi and Luhasinga adjoining the forest. All the adult male and female members guarded all entry and exit points of their village wielding lathis.
Locals claimed that the tigress has made its way to Kusumkunduri rural forest after straying into Bipradiha, Korab and Kansab villages in the area.
Forest officials of Pataka section rushed to the spot and identified the pugmarks of the tigress. They advised the villagers not to venture into the jungle alone and always move outside in groups holding lathis.
Samyak Samantrai, divisional forest officer of Athamallik forest division, said the forest officials are regularly monitoring the movements of the tigress.
PNN