Tigress Sundari to be shifted from Satkosia: Minister

Odisha government has decided to shift Royal Bengal tigress 'Sundari', who had allegedly killed two persons, from Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary to an enclosure at any place including in Nandankanan Zoological Park here, a state minister said.

The step was being taken in view of public resentment over the tigress' presence at the sanctuary in Angul district, state Forest and Environment Minister Bijayshree Routray said after reviewing the situation.

The big cat had allegedly killed two persons within a span of 45 days.

"The tigress will be kept inside a special enclosure or in the tiger safari after it is tranquilized by the expert teams who are now at Satkosia," the minister said.

To a querry whether the state government has taken the permission of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for relocating the tigress, Routray said "We will like to keep Sundari at Nandankanan. If the NCTA does not agree, we will send the animal back to Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh from where she was brought."