Satkosia Tigress Dodges Tranquilising Team Again

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Angul: The forest staff again failed in their attempt to tranquilise Bengal tigress Sundari in Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary of Odisha’s Angul district on Sunday.

Informing the media on Monday, DFO (Satkosia) P Ramaswami said the tranquilising team, for the first time, rode on the Kumki elephant Yashoda for the operation.

“The tigress was spotted between Anakhali and Kadalikhola area under Purunakot Forest Range between 2 pm and 4 pm. The tranquilising team rode on the Kumki elephant and went to the Purunakot. During the search operation, the team located the tigress and followed her. Nearly after two hours, they came close to the tigress. The tranquilising team then darted at the tigress, which missed her by a whisker. She later ran away into the forest. As the sun had set by then, the team returned to Purunakot Range Office,” the DFO said.

Stating that the team will begin their operation again on Monday, he said talks are on with Karnataka to bring two more Kumki elephants to join the Mission Sundari in Satkosia.

The DFO also informed that a senior official of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, Dr K  Ramesh reached Satkosia on Sunday to monitor the Mission Sundari.

Following the death of two villagers, who were suspected to have been killed by the tigress, the Forest department has decided to shift her to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar.