The proposed shifting of the straying wild male tiger from Nandankanan Zoo to Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha may be fraught with danger. According to sources, talks are on between the reserve management and the NTCA to shift the tiger in STR after it spent nearly six months in captivity in the zoo.
The experts fear that such a move is not only risky for the big cat but also for the local villagers. While chances of territorial infighting between this adult male tiger and other tigers in the reserve cannot be ruled out, it will also escalate situations of man-tiger conflict in the fringe villages.
According to sources, Field Director STR Anup Nayak was recently in Delhi on being called by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to discuss the issue. This came after the Satkosia Tiger Reserve Field Director Pandab Behera expressed reluctance citing difficulties in keeping the tiger in the forest. The NTCA however had asked the State Government in October, to shift the tiger to Satkosia following a feasibility report by experts from Wildlife Institute of India.
Though Field Director STR declined to comment on the issue, the Chief Wildlife Warden Odisha, JD Sharma clarified that it is up to the NTCA to decide on the tiger's fate. The forest department is waiting for its final protocol on the release of this tiger which is expected to reach shortly. "We are ready to release the tiger in any forest, whether Satkosia or Simlipal, as directed by the NTCA," he said.
The experts, however, have resented the proposed shifting of the tiger to Simlipal for various reasons. According to Honorary Wildlife warden, STR, Vanoomitra Acharya, such an action if carried out will be a big blunder on the part of the forest department as well as the NTCA". The tiger is a six-year-old male that will certainly try to establish its territory once released in the reserve. As per the 2010 tiger estimation by NTCA, there are about 23 tigers. Its numbers are likely to have gone up further, following results of camera traps.
Hence, the chances of territorial infighting between the newly released tiger and the other dominant males in the reserve are obvious. Since this tiger has been in captivity in the zoo, since June this year, its hunting skills in the wild must have also been weakened as compared to the other potential male tigers. Who will be held accountable if this tiger is killed or kills other tigers or cubs in the process"IJ questioned Acharya.
Further, there are about 61 villages around the reserve. "The tiger is likely to move out of the reserve in search of easy prey in these villages. It will prey on livestock or may even attack humans, thereby escalating incidents of man tiger conflicts," predicted Sanjukta Basa, Honorary Wildlife warden, STR. Such situations may also bring about revenge killing of the tiger by the local communities, she said. "Hence, under no circumstances, the tiger should be released in Simlipal," stressed Acharya and Basa.
The six-year-old male tiger, which had been roaming around Nandankanan since March, had first strayed into the zoo on April 30. It, however, escaped from an exhibit enclosure of Nandank-anan zoo by scaling an 18 feet iron fence on May 31. It strayed back into the zoo on June 23 after authorities had opened the emergency gate of the tiger safari to facilitate its entry. It is in the zoo since then.