Odisha government has decided to shift Royal Bengal tigress 'Sundari', who had allegedly killed two persons, from Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary to an enclosure at any place including in Nandankanan Zoological Park here, a state minister said.
The step was being taken in view of public resentment over the tigress' presence at the sanctuary in Angul district, state Forest and Environment Minister Bijayshree Routray said after reviewing the situation.
The big cat had allegedly killed two persons within a span of 45 days.
"The tigress will be kept inside a special enclosure or in the tiger safari after it is tranquilized by the expert teams who are now at Satkosia," the minister said.
To a querry whether the state government has taken the permission of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for relocating the tigress, Routray said "We will like to keep Sundari at Nandankanan. If the NCTA does not agree, we will send the animal back to Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh from where she was brought."
The minister, however, clarified that no decision has yet been taken to send the tigress back to Madhya Pradesh.
Meanwhile, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Sandip Tripathy said the tigress has moved out of the sanctuary and was found roaming in the nearby Asanabahal village area.
Two specialist teams from Kanha National Park and Pench Tiger Reserve from Madhya Pradesh are deployed to track the exact location of the animal.
Meanwhile, Routray said the carcass found at Damodarpada jungle near Khajuria village under Bhatli Forest Range in Bargarh district has been identified to be that of a leopard and not a Royal Bengal Tiger.
Initial reports of the expert team suggest that the carcass of animal recovered in Debrigarh forest of Bargarh, is that of a leopard. The leopard was buried there after its death, Routray said.
The exact reason behind the leopard's death can only be ascertained after getting the test reports from the forensic lab, he added.
Officials said that the body parts of the animal (leopard) have been sent to the Wildlife Institute in Dehradun for examination.
Tripathy said that the divisional forest officer of Debrigarh who was asked to make a spot visit, had informed that the carcass is two to three weeks old.
The carcass recovered from the jungle on Sunday was suspected to be that of a Royal Bengal Tiger.
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