Sundari, the tigress captured following a few incidents of mauling in Odisha’s Satkosia Tiger Reserve, may not be shifted to the Nandankanan Zoological Park as the Central Zoo Authority has advised against transfer of animals from the wild.
The ambitious tiger reintroduction programme at STR had run into controversy after Sundari, which was translocated from the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, attacked a man in Satkosia leading to his death. Angry villagers had then vandalised public property demanding shifting of the tigress.
Bowing to public pressure, the State Forest and Environment Department decided to tranquilise the big cat. State Forest Minster Bijoyshree Routray had then said that Sundari would be shifted to Nandankanan after her capture.
After successful tranquilisation of the tigress on November 6, the animal was shifted to a makeshift enclosure set up at Raiguda, deep inside the Satkosia forest.
Terming the shifting of Sundari “unlawful”, a wildlife activist, Ajay Dubey, had moved the CZA over the proposed shifting of the big cat to Nandankanan.
“As per the strategy to achieve objectives of zoos specified in the National Zoo Policy, 1998, para 3.2.1 says except for obtaining founder animals for approved breeding programme and infusion of new blood into inbreed groups, no zoo shall collect animals from the wild,” said CZA member secretary D.N. Singh in a letter addressed to Odisha’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Sandeep Tripathi, in response to the allegation.
Mr. Singh asked the Odisha government to consider all the pros and cons and arrive at a decision in accordance with the National Zoo Policy.
“We have written a number of times to the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India to come to Odisha and give us technical guidance. Now, we are approaching them again to guide us on the future course of action,” said Mr. Tripathi, reacting to CZA’s point of view.
Meanwhile, a man was trampled to death by a trained elephant, which was brought to tranquilise Sundari, on Thursday. The victim was identified as Sudur Pradhan.
