Bhubaneswar: After Similipal and Satkosia, the Odisha government is making efforts to get the tiger reserve status for Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary in Nuapada district.
Briefing the media on Thursday, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF) Sisir Kumar Ratho said the Forest Department has begun the process to meet the criteria of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for availing the tiger reserve status for Sunabeda sanctuary.
Replying to a question on the rising incidents of big cat hunting in different forest divisions in the state, Ratho admitted that the poachers have expanded their network. But the department is taking steps to counter them, he added.
He maintained that the bio-diversity can be balanced by the proportionate number of the big cats in the forests.
