Tigress Sundari to be shifted to Nandankanan: Minister

The Odisha government has said the Royal Bengal Tigress Sundari, which allegedly killed two persons, will be shifted from Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar.

Forest and Environment Minister Bijayshree Routray on Monday said once it is tranquilised, the tigress will be shifted to a well-protected environment in the zoo.

"Our plans are to keep Sundari in Nandankanan and we will inform National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) about the decision. If they do not accept our proposal, we may consider sending back the tigress to Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh from where it was brought as a part of tiger translocation programme," informed the Minister.

He said efforts are on to capture the elusive tigress in Satakosia wildlife sanctuary in Angul district.

Meanwhile, two experts team from Pench and Kanha tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh arrived to tranquilise tigress Sundari.

The Odisha Forest Department had requested its Madhya Pradesh counterpart to send two teams to capture the tigress.

The Royal Bengal tigress was brought from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve on June 28 in a pilot inter-state transfer project to increase the big cat population in Odisha. It was released into the Satkosia Tiger Reserve.

However, locals demanded to shift the tigress after it allegedly killed two persons inside the reserve.

--IANS

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