On 20th June 2018, the officials of wildlife conservation in India re-wrote history as they transferred a male tiger from Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh to Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Odisha. The male tiger is around 3 years and weighs approximately 195 kg.
In the wildlife conservation history of India, this is the first recorded incident where a tiger from any particular reserve has been sent to another state for reintroduction. Intra-state transfers have been witnessed earlier. For instance, when Panna National Park became dry, it was successfully rehabilitated by introducing tigers from other sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh.
Covering a distance of 600 kilometers, the interstate translocation involved a huge team of rangers, veterinarians, beat guards and senior officials of Kanha and Pench. Scientists of WII and a team from Satkosia Tiger Reserve also accompanied the transfer.
A special project to reintroduce tigers into the Satkosia Tiger Reserve has been undertaken by The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, New Delhi, National Tiger Conservation Authority, New Delhi, and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. As per the guidelines of this project, the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has to donate 6 tigers in 3 pairs to the Odisha government. This was the first of the two tigers sent from Kanha.
After completing a day-long journey by the road, the tiger reached his new home in Satkosia Tiger Reserve on the afternoon of 21st June 2018. He was released in a special enclosure under the presence of ACS, Forests, and PCCF(Wildlife) Odisha and other senior officers.
i4u Travel Services congratulates Mr. Sanjay Shukla, FD, Kanha Tiger Reserve as well as his team for this successful endeavor.
Image Courtsey : Mr Sanjay Shukla
Image Info : The darted tiger being followed by elephant bound Kanha forest officials.