Bhubaneswar: In order to increase the population of Royal Bengal Tigers in Similipal Tiger Reserve of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, a big cat has been brought from Maharashtra.
According to sources in Forest department, the tiger was translocated after approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Earlier Odisha government had written to the NTCA for translocation of the tiger from Maharashtra.
Following the approval, a team of officials including Similipal Tiger Reserve director, assistant director, veterinary doctors and a rapid response team had gone to Maharashtra last week. They visited Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve there and discussed the official process for the translocation.
The tiger from Tadoba reserve would be kept in a special enclosure for some days and its adaptability to the conditions here would be observed. Then the big cat would be released in the core area of Similipal, the sources said.
The last census put the tiger population in Similipal at 30 and the state government claimed that it had registered an increase. The government plans to get five tigers from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh sanctuaries. They would be released in Similipal and Debrigarh in Bargarh district, the sources added.