Athmallik: The Forest Department is on its toes, making all-out efforts to move back the Royal Bengal tigress Sundari into Satkosia Tiger Reserve.
Since the amphibious tigress has strayed into human settlements, she has been spotted at various places, time and again, after being released from its enclosure. In the last few days, it has killed many cattle and mauled a woman to death.
Fearing further trouble, a team of personnel from Athmallik forest range has been tasked to move the two-year-old big cat back to Satkosia, but in vain.
The tigress has been making her presence felt around human settlements in the periphery of Athmallik forest range since September 15. After staying near Rangapur village for two days, it was seen on the outskirts of Jadupur and the nearby villages of Khambeswarpalli, Nuagada and Siddhapur, creating panic among the villagers.
Now, reports suggested that the tigress was moving inside the forest, about 3 km from the Athmallik town. Some locals reported of spotting the tigress moving around Athmallik College recently.
As the tigress has shown no sign of leaving the human settlements, the forest staff is in deep trouble with severe backlash from the locals. Meanwhile, the forest staff came face-to-face with the tigress on the outskirts of Jadupur village Sunday afternoon and tried to drive it towards Satkosia, it was learnt.
Panic had gripped the Hatibari village in Satkosia sanctuary following the death of a woman on September 12. Alleging that the woman was killed by the tigress, irate villagers had set the Hatibari Forest Beat House and the office of the Tikarpada Range office on fire.
A team of experts from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau had visited Satkosia and monitored the movement and behaviour of Sundari for three days.
There has been no certainty about the translocation of the tigress despite repeated demands by the locals while the WII team has maintained that there is no question of shifting the tigress and she would stay in Satkosia.
PNN