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Wildlife Institute of India scientists to get radio collar for strayed tiger


The wildlife wing of the forest department has initiated the process of shifting a tiger, which had strayed into Nandankanan, to Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).

Official sources said a team of scientists from Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will be in the city in a couple of days to take a final call on shifting the feline.

"The technical team will bring a radio collar, which will be fitted to the neck of the tiger before it is released ," said principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) S S Srivastav. The cost of the radio collar would be borne by the state government, he added.

In January, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) proposed the government to shift the tiger to STR in Mayurbhanj district instead of Satkosia, as was the initial plan. It also sought technical assistance of WII scientists to relocate the big cat.

On April 30, the tiger strayed into Nandankanan purportedly to mate with the lone wild-born tigress Sara. On May 20, it fled the zoo by scaling the fence of an open enclosure, but walked back after three weeks.

Wildlife experts had criticized the government for delaying release of the tiger and not allowing it to mate with the tigress. "There was a conspiracy to keep the tiger in zoo. But the wildlife wing took the advice of NTCA seriously. STR will be the right place for the tiger," said wildlife campaigner Biswajit Mohanty.

The Satkosia Tiger Reserve authorities had expressed unwillingness to play host to the tiger and maintained that the reserve was not conducive for big cats.


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