The expert teams from Kanha and Pench tiger reserves on Sunday began their process to tranquilise Royal Bengal Tigress ‘Sundari’ in Satkosia with the help of Chandaka forest elephant ‘Jashoda’.
The trained jumbo Jashoda was brought from Chandaka by a truck to the Satkosia forest in order to expedite the tranquilisation process. Jashoda was kept in the Court Range premises for medical examination and the teams are now all set to mount on Jahsoda’s back and embark on the operation.
As many as 30 forest officials and three vehicles will be involved in operation. A stretcher and several medicines have also been kept in readiness to attend to medical emergencies. Teams have begun a mock drill, following which the main phase will begin.
According to sources, a trap would be laid late on Sunday night if the tranquilisation process fails. If the operation is successful, Sundari would be first shifted to the Raiguda enclosure. The big cat’s movement was last noted in the Tikarpada Forest Range.
Notably on October 25, the two special teams were roped in to expedite the process of tranquilising the tigress after three consecutive attempts by a local team failed.
Forest and Environment Minister Bijayshree Routray has already said that the ‘intelligent’ creature, once captured, would be relocated to the Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar.