Efforts for tranquilizing ‘Sundari’ tigress continues in Odisha

Angul: Attempts of tranquilizing Royal Bengal tigress ‘Sundari’ entered its fourth phase at Satkosia Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha’s Angul district today as the six-member tranquilliser team again initiated efforts to bring the animal inside enclosure.

According to reports, a tranquilliser shot at the tigress by the team missed the target yesterday after which the big cat moved towards Chanchunia forest from Baghamunda. On Tuesday night, the team had kept goats in cages to attract the animal but it did not turn up.

On the other hand, locals continue to be panic-stricken as ‘Sundari’ could not be captured. They have intensified their demand of shifting the tigress to a different place.

However, a final decision over shifting ‘Sundari’ would be taken after consultation with officials of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Sandeep Tripathi had said.

Notably, the animal had allegedly mauled a man to death at Tainsi village on October 21. Earlier on September 12, ‘Sundari’ had allegedly killed a 35-year-old woman when she was taking bath in a pond.

‘Sundari’ was relocated from Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to Odisha’s Satkosia on June 28, in a pilot inter-state transfer project for re-introduction of the big cats in the area.