Odisha to Relocate 5 Royal Bengal Tigers from MP, Maharashtra by September End

Bhubaneswar: In a significant step to boost the tiger population in Odisha, five Royal Bengal Tigers (RBTs) will be relocated from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra by the end of September, according to Susanta Nanda, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF-Wildlife).

Three of these tigers are set to be relocated to Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, while the remaining two will be released into Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) as part of a genetic diversity program. The relocation has been approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Special teams, led by senior officials from Odisha’s forest department, will soon depart for Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to facilitate the transfer. The tigers have already been selected from the core areas of the respective states.

Solar fencing will be installed around Debrigarh Sanctuary to prevent human-wildlife conflict and ensure that the tigers do not wander into nearby human settlements.

In a separate development, Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar will welcome two giraffes under an animal exchange program, bolstering its existing population.