For the first time in the country a Royal Bengal Tiger was relocated to the Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Angul district from Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.
The tiger was brought to Angul by a special vehicle from the Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
The special vehicle carrying the big cat reached Satkosia in the afternoon. The animal would be released into the Tiger Reserve after its health condition is examined.
A joint team of forest officials from Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and the National Tiger Conservation Authority safely brought the tiger to Angul.
The tiger was relocated as part of an initiative by the Odisha Government to increase the tiger population in the Satkosia Tiger Reserve, which houses only two tigers aged about 13 years.
According to reports, a total of three pairs of six Royal Bengal Tigers would be relocated to Odisha as part of the Government’s plan. Five more such tigers would be brought to Satkosia in phases.
Forest officials have made plan to keep these tigers in specific locations in the forest. The first tiger that reached on Thursday is expected to be kept at the Raiguda Range of the Satkosia Forest Division.
The State Government has made allocation of around Rs 3 crore in its budget to release the Royal Bengal Tigers in the forests. Besides, the Wildlife Institute of India would provide around Rs 5-6 crore towards technical assistance for keeping the tigers in the protected forests.
The movement of tigers would be monitored through satellite in the dense forests.