Pair of Royal Bengal tigers to be brought to Satkosia reserve in Odisha’s Angul

Bantala: Satkosia tiger reserve in Angul district is likely to have a pair of Royal Bengal big cats in the coming year. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has given a nod in this regard and the sanctuary is all set to welcome its new guests (a male and a female) by the end of 2024, a source said today.

All necessary preparations have reached a final stage, Satkosia DFO Saroj Panda informed.

According to forest sources, Satkosia sanctuary had earlier lost its tiger members due to climate change and increased hunting activities. Despite the adverse conditions, tiger Kanha and tigress Sundari were brought to the reserve in 2018 from Madhya Pradesh and Bandhavgarh, respectively. Project Tiger failed miserably as Sundari was relocated in the wake of local opposition and Kanha was killed by hunters. The NTCA then advised to transform the sanctuary and to make it conducive for tiger habitation.

Following this, a process of substantial transformation of the Satkosia tiger reserve was started. Meanwhile, sanctuary authorities have shifted Raiguda, Katarang, Asanabahal, and Tuluka villages to elsewhere outside the Satkosia forest area. Grazing fields were developed and ecology was balanced.

“Priority will be given to raising the livelihoods of residents shifted to outside the sanctuary including their security. The number of herbivores has increased after the development drive,” the DFO said.