Bhubaneswar: Following the successful translocation of tigress Yamuna, the process has begun to bring a second big cat from Maharashtra to the Similipal Tiger Reserve. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance the genetic diversity and population of tigers in the reserve.
A special team from the wildlife wing of the Odisha Forest Department, comprising 10 members, has been dispatched to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra. The team will monitor the selected tigress for several days before transporting her to Similipal.
The first tigress, Yamuna, a two-and-a-half-year-old, was relocated from TATR on October 28, 2024. She has been acclimatizing in a soft enclosure within Similipal’s core area, where she is being closely monitored through CCTV cameras and provided with prey to hunt.
The translocation project, approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), aims to introduce a fresh gene pool into Similipal, thereby strengthening the tiger population. The new tigress is expected to arrive at Similipal next week and will undergo a similar acclimatization process before being released into the wild.
Dr. Prakash Chand Gogineni, Field Director of Similipal Tiger Reserve, expressed optimism about the project. “The introduction of these tigers is a significant step towards ensuring the long-term sustainability of the tiger population in Similipal. We are taking all necessary precautions to ensure their successful integration,” he said.
