Angul/Baripada: The Forest Department has decided to engaged two kumki tuskers of Similipal National Park to keep a watch on the tigress Sundari.
A similar plan to engage a female kumki (trained) elephant of Chandaka sanctuary at Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Odisha’s Angul was earlier put on hold.
Talking to the media over phone on Sunday, Similipal National Park deputy director Jagnadutta Pati said it is being carried out on the directive of the PCCF and the Chief Wildlife Warden. The two kumki (trained) elephants Mahendra and Rajkumar, engaged in the active tiger monitoring in Similipal, reached the Satkosia Tiger Reserve this morning, he informed.
Asked whether the Similipal authorities will monitor tracking of the tigress in Satkosia, Pati said “Our duty was the hand over the two kumki elephants and support staff including mahuts, assistant mahuts and a veterinary team to the Satkosia authorities. It is for them to decide how to use services of these two elephants. We will not be monitoring the tigress movement.”
Replying to a question on the death of a man, who was killed by female kumki elephant Yashoda in Satkosia sanctuary, the deputy director said the two elephants will pose no such threat. “Mahendra has been engaged in tiger monitoring, protection and tourism in Similipal since the last 18 years, Rajkumar too has been engaged for similar task. Both the elephants are well-trained and have experience in tiger monitoring and stalking. Besides, the mahuts and assistant mahuts are the natives of Mayurbhanj district and they are also well-trained.”
It may be recalled that following the death of a woman of Hatibari village on September 12 and later a man of Tainsi village on October 27 last year, who were suspected to have been killed by Sundari after her release into the wild on August 18, the Forest and Environment Minister Bijasyshree Routray had said the tigress would be kept inside an enclosure at Nandankanan Zoological Park.
The tigress had spread panic in the area, pouncing on livestock and attacking people. After relentless efforts, she was finally captured on November 6 and kept inside an enclosure at Raigoda in the core area of the sanctuary.
