Odisha Forms 30-Member Tiger Protection Force Ahead of Satkosia Relocation

Bhubaneswar: The tiger relocation project in Odisha’s Satkosia Tiger Reserve has received approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to resume, nearly four and a half years after its suspension. In preparation for this, the Forest Department has established a special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) to enhance security in the habitat.

The STPF, consisting of 30 members including ex-servicemen, foresters, and forest guards, is the second such unit in the state. This move is a proactive measure before the relocation of tigers begins. According to PCCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Susanta Nanda, the force will combat poaching and bolster intelligence efforts as outlined by NTCA guidelines.

The protection squad will be outfitted in black uniforms and equipped for continuous patrolling. Their duties will include special operations against poachers and strengthening ground intelligence.

The relocation project aims to transfer 15 tigers from Maharashtra’s Tadoba Reserve to Satkosia over the next five years. Previous attempts at relocation in 2018, involving tigers Sundari and Mahavir from Kanha National Park, were unsuccessful and led to a suspension after Mahavir’s death. Sundari was later returned to Kanha after spending 28 months in Satkosia’s Raigoda enclosure.

The NTCA had imposed 15 conditions for the project’s resumption. Approval came after the State Government submitted a proposal in January and an NTCA team visited the reserve in June to evaluate the project’s feasibility.