Efforts On To Push Bengal Tigress Sundari Into Satkosia Tiger Reserve

Athmallik: The Forest Department is on its toes, making all efforts to move Royal Bengal tigress Sundari back into the Satkosia Tiger Reserve.

The tigress has been spotted near human settlements, time and again.

According to reports, a team of Forest staff of Athmallik range came face-to-face with the tigress on the outskirts of Jadupur village on Sunday afternoon.

The tigress has been making her presence felt around human settlements in the periphery of Athmallick Forest Range since last eight days. After staying put near Rangapur village for two days, she was seen on the outskirts of Jadupur and the nearby villages of Khambeswarpalli, Nuagada and Siddhapur, creating panic among the villagers.

It had killed a cow at Lehedi village recently.

Till reports last came in, the tigress was moving inside the forest about 3 km from the Athmallik town. Some locals also informed the media about having seen the tigress near the Athmallik College recently.

As the tigress has shown no sign of leaving the human settlements, the Forest staff are now trying to push her into the Satkosia Tiger Reserve.

Panic had gripped the Hatibari village in Satkosia sanctuary following the death of a woman on September 12. Alleging that the woman was killed by the tigress, the irate villagers had set the Hatibari Forest Beat House and the office of the Tikarpada Range office on fire.

Following information, a team of experts from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau had arrived at Satkosia and monitored the movement and behaviour of the tigress for three days.

The team later maintained that there is no question of shifting the tigress and she would stay in Satkosia. The team had also asked the Forest Department to seek the cooperation of the villagers and provide them with adequate security.