Odisha To Bring 5 RBTs From MP & Maharashtra By Sept End; Nandankanan To Get 2 Giraffes

Pic courtesy BBC Wildlife Magazine

Bhubaneswar: As part of efforts to increase tiger population in Odisha, arrangements are being made to bring five Royal Bengal Tigers (RBTs) from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra by the end of September.

Giving this information, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF-Wildlife) Susanta Nanda said on Wednesday that these RBTs will be relocated in Debrigarh and Similipal.

While three of the tigers will be relocated to Debrigarh sanctuary, two will be released into Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) for the genetic diversity programme.

Stating that two special teams will soon leave for the two states, he said the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had already accorded permission for the relocation.

A request had been made to MP and Maharashtra and they have given their consent. They have also selected the tigers from their core area.

Two separate teams led by CCF and RCCF will leave for these states to expedite the process very soon. “We anticipated the genetic diversity programme would be launched in Similipal by the end of September,” the PCCF said.

He further said that solar fencing will be made around Debrigarh sanctuary to prevent the entry of tigers into human habitation.

In another initiative, two giraffes will be brought to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar under an animal exchange programme.

“We are getting a pair of giraffes in the animal exchange programme. We have only one in Nandankanan”, he said.