Odisha's Ambitious Tiger Relocation: A New Tigress for Similipal

A team from Odisha Forest Department is relocating another female Royal Bengal Tiger from Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra to Similipal Tiger Reserve to combat inbreeding. Previously, the tiger translocation attempt in Satkosia failed due to local protests. Currently, Jamuna, a relocated tigress, is acclimatizing in Similipal.

The Odisha Forest Department is once again making strides in its tiger relocation efforts. On Thursday, a team reached Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra to acquire another female Royal Bengal Tiger, aiming to diversify the gene pool at Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj district.

Previously, Jamuna, another female tigress, was relocated to Similipal and is being acclimatized to the new environment. This initiative hopes to counteract the effects of inbreeding, which has resulted in genetic disorders among the tiger population at Similipal. The reserve currently hosts 27 tigers, 13 of which exhibit pseudo-melanistic traits.

Past efforts to relocate tigers to Odisha's Satkosia Tiger Reserve met resistance from local communities, leading to the tragic death of a male tiger and the return of a female tigress to its original habitat. The current project seeks to avoid past pitfalls by carefully managing logistics and community relations.

(With inputs from agencies.)