Odisha's Ambitious Plan: Introducing Tigers to Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary
Reviving the Tiger Population in Odisha
Bhubaneswar: The government of Odisha is set to introduce tigers into the Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary located in the Bargarh district, according to a senior official from the Forest department on Tuesday.
During the celebrations for National Tiger Day, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife, Prem Kumar Jha, highlighted that Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary is being considered as a potential site for the reintroduction of tigers.
Jha confirmed that the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has granted technical approval to designate Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve.
An expert committee has been established by the state government to evaluate the sanctuary and prepare a report identifying the core area and buffer zone necessary for establishing a tiger habitat.
Once this process is finalized, steps will be taken to relocate tigers to the sanctuary, he noted.
The PCCF (Wildlife) acknowledged the challenges associated with tiger relocation, citing the unsuccessful attempt to relocate tigress Sundari to the Satkosia Tiger Reserve.
In November of last year, two tigresses, Jamuna and Zeenat, were relocated from Maharashtra to the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).
The inter-state tiger relocation initiative was deemed 80% successful, although Zeenat ventured into Jharkhand and West Bengal before being returned to STR. Currently, both tigresses are settled in their respective territories, Jha explained.
Concerns regarding inbreeding within the limited population of tigers in the protected area have arisen. Consequently, the STR authority has proposed the introduction of four tigers—two males and two females—from Maharashtra.
Following an assessment of the two tigresses' behaviors, further plans will be made to introduce another tiger to the STR.
A similar strategy will be implemented to bring tigers to the Satkosia Tiger Reserve, which currently lacks any tiger presence, according to the forest officer.
In 2018, an attempt was made by the Odisha government to translocate tigers to the Satkosia Tiger Reserve. A tiger named Mahavir was brought from Kanha National Park, and a tigress named Sundari was relocated from Bandhavgarh National Park, both located in Madhya Pradesh.
Unfortunately, the tiger died after falling into a poacher's trap, while the tigress was returned to her original habitat after reportedly killing two individuals during her 30-month stay in Odisha.
According to the latest census by the Odisha forest department, there are currently 30 Royal Bengal Tigers in the state, with 27 residing in the Similipal Tiger Reserve.
On Tiger Day, renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik collaborated with the World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF India) to create a stunning sand sculpture of a 20-foot-long tiger surrounded by 51 smaller tigers on Puri beach.
Pattnaik expressed, "It is a privilege to work with WWF-India on Global Tiger Day to create this sand art, which symbolizes the tiger's profound connection with our forests and communities."
"Through my art, I aim to convey a powerful visual message about the necessity of co-existence. The tiger is not merely a symbol of strength; it is a guardian of our environment and a protector of our ecosystem," he added.