Bhopal: Tigers which were sent to Satkosia Tiger Reserve (STR), Odisha, from Panna Tiger Reserve have not been released from enclosure for the last 40 days. This has prompted a concerned wild life activist to shoot a letter to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NCTA).
Wild Life Activist Ajay Dubey, in his letter to NCTA, said, “The pair which has been sent to STR is in not good condition. Their health has deteriorated as they have not been released from enclosure for the last 40 days. It is violation of guidelines. Earlier, also tigers were wiped out from STR just because of regular poaching and hunting.”
Additional PCCF Alok Kumar said, “We have neither found any information from NCTA nor from Odisha Government. We cannot do anything with the project. Currently, we do not have any plan to withdraw the plan until or unless we are directed to do so.” The project is an initiative of the state government to increase tiger population and maintain bio-diversity in STR which has two 13 year old Royal Bengal Tiger.
According to sources the translocated tigers were to be released from their enclosure after health examination. A special enclosure with iron grill was built in the core forest area for the purpose. As per the project two more pairs remain to be sent to STR.