Baragada/Koraput: Odisha’s forest landscapes have witnessed heightened activity from Royal Bengal tigers in recent days, with officials tracking movements in both the southern Koraput district and the western Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary even as one animal appears to have moved on while another shows signs of settling in.
In Koraput’s Semiliguda range, pugmarks first detected on November 3 prompted intensified surveillance by the forest department. On Tuesday, divisional forest officer Sidharth Jain confirmed that the tiger has left the area. Field staff remain on high alert and continue tracking to determine its current location, with the possibility that it has returned to its original habitat in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh or shifted towards the Narayanpatna forest range along the state border.
Also Read: One Tiger Returns To AP, Another Spotted In Koraput; Odisha Forest Dept Steps Up Vigil
Rapid response teams and personnel had been deployed to monitor its route after the initial detection, while advisories were issued through public announcements urging villagers in vulnerable areas to avoid approaching the animal, refrain from entering dense forest patches and promptly report any sightings or fresh pugmarks.
Koraput has no resident tiger population, and because the animal was not radio-collared, its precise origin remains unconfirmed.
Also Read: After Koraput & Malkangiri, Royal Bengal Tiger Sighted In Odisha’s Debrigarh
Meanwhile, in Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, a male tiger that entered from neighbouring Chhattisgarh via the Dechuan-Lakhanpur stretch has begun exploring the habitat more confidently. First recorded by camera trap and directly sighted by patrolling staff, the animal, preliminarily assessed as an adult aged around four to six years, ventured into the tourism zone on Monday afternoon. Around 40 tourists in four safari vehicles observed it from a distance. Later that evening, it made its first confirmed kill, hunting a sambar deer in the core zone, an important indication of natural hunting behaviour in its new surroundings.
Also Read: Royal Bengal Tiger Hunts Sambar Deer In Odisha’s Debrigarh, Security Stepped Up
Forest officials have stepped up protection measures, intensifying river and boundary surveillance, deploying additional teams and alerting police, local communities and informer networks about possible threats such as poachers or snares. A reward of Rs 1,000 has been announced for confidential information on suspicious activity.
Divisional forest officer (Wildlife) Anshu Pragyan Das described the tiger as a transient adult male likely searching for suitable territory, prey and mating opportunities. Authorities have withheld detailed movement information to safeguard the animal.
The developments have revived hopes that Debrigarh could support a more permanent tiger presence. Experts suggest the current situation presents an opportunity to consider introducing female tigers for a scientific breeding programme. The sanctuary’s proposal for notification as Odisha’s third tiger reserve is awaiting final government approval; such status would strengthen habitat security for dispersing tigers, improve scientific monitoring and enhance community involvement to minimise conflict.
Earlier, a tiger had resided in Debrigarh for about a year and a half between 2022 and 2024 before moving on. “That tiger later migrated into the neighbouring Gomarda Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh, where it tragically died due to electrocution,” the DFO added.
