Known for diamond the world over, Panna has set a new example before the world. Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) has not only achieved success in rehabilitating tiger species, which had become extinct there, but has also completed four years of tiger relocation. The number of tigers in the reserve has gone up from 0 to 24. Earlier, it was believed that it was near impossible to relocate tigers in a new area.
The scheme commenced in March 2009, when a tigress was translocated to the Reserve from Kanha and Bandhavgarh. Until then, forest officials were of the view that a tiger was present in the forests of Panna. However, by the time the tigresses
were released in the wilderness, the tiger went missing, causing concern for the forest officials.
In such a situation, a tiger christened T-3 was brought from Pench Reserve in November 7 that year and kept in an enclosure. At that juncture, the Panna Tiger Reserve was in everyone's crosshairs for being tiger-less. Nobody was ready to believe that the big cat population would increase due to carnivores brought from outside.
The feline was radio collared on November 13 and released the following day. On November 27, it began moving back towards Pench. The tiger walked about 450 km at the rate of 15 to 50 km per day but the diehard Panna Reserve officials, led by four Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers, pursued the beast that halted for three to four days at spots where it hunted prey.
The team comprised about 40 officials, four elephants and 25 vehicles. On December 25, 2009, the big cat was tranquilised, conveyed to the Panna Tiger Reserve and released within it the following day.
PTR Field Director R Srinivasa Murthy while talking to 'The Pioneer' over phone said, "Under an innovative strategy to prevent the tiger from returning towards Pench, a tigress' urine was sprinkled in the jungle. As a result, T-3 and tigress T-1 came face to face within four days of tigress' urine was sprinkled in the forests. T-3 also mated with T-2 and T-4."