Madhya Pradesh shifts Bandhavgarh tigress to Odisha

Bhopal: After its first successful operation, Madhya Pradesh forest department on Wednesday captured and translocated second tiger to Satkosia tiger reserve in Odisha.

This time, a 2-year-old tigress has been shifted from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, said sources.

Earlier tiger — MB2 — was selected from Kanha. Both were selected in compliance with NTCA guidelines.


Officials claim, this is the first time that a tigers are being shifted from one state to the other for reintroduction.

Tigeres was tranquilised by the wildlife veterinarians reserves, and was measured for different physical parameters.

The entire operation was carried out by the Bandhavgarh management.

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, New Delhi, National Tiger Conservation Authority, New Delhi, and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun have prepared a special project for the reintroduction of tigers into the Satkosia tiger reserve.

Under this project, the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department is to give away 6 tigers (3 pairs) to the Odisha government for reintroduction. As two tigers are to be sent from Kanha, this was the first tiger in this sequence.

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, however, has expressed concern over its safety. “The last living tiger of Satkosia was shifted to Nandan Kanan zoo as the only resort to save it from poachers. How are they going to ensure safety of MB2 or the five others that will be translocated there?” asks Dubey, adding: “There are 25 villages within the core area of Satkosia and 175 outside it. As far as I know petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan had pursued the MP government for shifting of tigers for his political mileage.”