**Bhubaneswar:** In the first ever inter-State tiger relocation, a 3-yr-old male tiger travel for around 24 hours to reach Satkosia Tiger Reserve in the State from Madhya Pradesh’s Kanha Tiger Reserve for supplementation and population recovery. But, after being relocated, the tiger has not eaten anything.
Bijayshree Routray, Minister, Forest and Environment clarified, “Inter-state transfer of tiger is done for the first time in India. The tiger has travelled for 24 hours to reach Satkosia from Kanha Reserve. The tiger is doing fine, and is being watched round the clock within the enclosure. Though it has not eaten the food provided to it, but the health of the tiger is good. The Kanha officials have also accompanied the tiger. When they feel that the tiger has become accustomed with the surroundings, they will automatically release it in the open.
“As the tiger is now in the temporary enclosure, it is under stressed condition. So it has not eaten anything though we had left a wild boar inside the enclosure. But once it is released, it will easily prey on animals as its health condition is perfectly fine and it is quite active,” informed Suresh Mohapatra, Secretary, Forest and Environment Department.
The Madhya Pradesh Government has extended all kind of assistance in this matter. They have transported the animal in their vehicle, with their staff, veterinary doctors and wildlife experts. They will closely monitor it. Our trained staff members will also keep a close track on its movements. This venture will also be as successful as such undertakings have been fortuitously carried out in the past in Panna Tiger Reserve of Madhya Pradesh and Sariska Tiger Reserve of Rajasthan. In India, this is the third such experiment,” he further added.
Madhya Pradesh had agreed to relocate three pairs of tigers (3 males & 3 females) within a span of two years. It will be done in phases. Meanwhile, the attitude and behaviour of the existing tigers will also be closely monitored.
Moreover, in Satkosia the habitat has well developed in the last few years.
“The prey population has increased, and the animal population is also good there, so we think that they will face no problems in living there,” the secretary enlightened.