Much to the concern of the conservationists, the straying tiger from Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Odisha and presently in Nandan Kanan Zoo will eventually be shifted to the Simlipal Tiger Reserve.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has directed the State to determine the area of relocation in the reserve based on the biotic pressure, prey density and situations of conflict that are likely to arise amongst other factors.
According to NTCA sources, post-release monitoring protocol will also be worked out, which will include the radio collaring of the big cat and its monitoring after the release into the wild. The six-year-old male tiger had strayed from Satkosia Tiger Reserve and reached the Nanadan Kanan Zoo, from where it will be shifted.
According to acting Chief Wildlife Warden BP Singh the Simlipal Tiger Reserve management has been asked to prepare the modalities for submission to NTCA. After this, the State Government will also have to get a formal clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) before the relocation is carried out. This has put an end to the speculations on the fate of the straying tiger.
The decision of NTCA has not gone well with a number of conservationists. 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 being a young male 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.
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, in under no circumstances, the tiger should be released in Simlipal,” stressed Acharya and Basa.