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[Apollo]

State seeks Rs 76 lakh for shifting feline to Similipal Tiger Reserve

The wildlife wing of the forest department has sent a proposal worth Rs 76-lakh to National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for relocating and monitoring the Royal Bengal Tiger, which had strayed into Nandankanan in April last year. It will be shifted to Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).

Official sources said scientists of Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have prepared the proposal. "We will fix a date for shifting the tiger to STR once NTCA approves the proposal and sanctions funds. A radio collar for the tiger will be procured with the money," said principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) S S Srivastav.

STR authorities have selected two sites for the feline, he added.

"We have selected Nawana (north) range and Chahala range, keeping in view the density of prey population. These two sites are free from human interference and have many water bodies with standard forest density," said STR field director Anup Nayak.

In January, the NTCA had given a proposal to the government to shift the tiger to STR. But there has been an inordinate delay in the process.

"A team of WII scientists would come to Bhubaneswar to oversee it. They are likely to bring a radio collar with them," said a wildlife officer.

The tiger had strayed into Nandankanan on April 30 last year. It was captured in the CCTV camera. On May 20, it was brought to an enclosure. After 10 days, the feline scaled the enclosure and fled the zoo. But it walked back after three weeks.


 

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