Sambalpur: A male tiger spotted recently in Odisha’s Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary was previously present inside Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh.
Earlier presence of the tiger in Chhattisgarh was confirmed through an analysis of camera trap photographs shared by forest officials of the neighbouring state, according to DFO of Hirakud Wildlife Division Anshu Pragyan Das.
It was found that the tiger was photographed in Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve for around six months in 2025. Forest officials matched the stripe patterns on the body in the earlier photographs with those recorded in Debrigarh, confirming that it was the same tiger.
Camera trap data is being further analysed to establish the tiger’s movement and identify the areas it visited before reaching Debrigarh on November 9.
According to forest officials, the tiger may have originally come from Maharashtra before moving through different forest areas. However, there is no camera trap evidence so far to establish its movement from Maharashtra or trace its complete migration route.
Meanwhile, forest authorities of Debrigarh have approached the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), seeking additional information on the animal’s dispersal history and previous movement records. Further analysis of camera-trap data is underway to gather more information about the tiger’s movement across different regions.