ANGUL: With the Ghorela enclosure in Madhya Pradesh’s Kanha Tiger Reserve falling vacant, decks have been cleared for translocation of tigress Sundari from Satkosia.The tiger which was under rewilding process at Ghorela has been shifted to another place, paving way for Sundari’s translocation. The tigress is now in captivity at Raigoda enclosure in Satkosia Tiger Reserve (STR) for over two years.
Authorities of Kanha TR are carrying out maintenance works in the enclosure which will take a maximum of three weeks time. Ghorela has a wider area than Raigoda enclosure to rewild the tigress. It has five hectare of land of carnivore enclosure and a much larger buffer zone for the tigress to prey.
Field Director of STR Pradeep Raj Karat said, “Sundari is likely to be shifted to Kanha this month as per the talks I had with my Kanha counterpart and the chief wildlife warden of Madhya Pradesh recently. They have informed me that Ghorela enclosure is now vacant and maintenance work is going on. I hope they will take Sundari from here this month.”
Kanha authorities will send the required vehicles and staff for transportation of the big cat from STR. The tigress is hale and hearty and hunting her own prey, Karat added. Sundari was one of the two big cats translocated from MP as part of India’s first tiger re-introduction project. It was moved from Bandhavgarh TR in June, 2018 and was released in Satkosia. However, resistance from villages forced the Forest department to shift it to Raigoda enclosure on November 7. Its fellow tiger Mahavir, however, did not last and was found dead.