“History has been created in conservation and revival efforts of tigers” says Naveen Patnaik

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said "history has been created" in tiger conservation and revival efforts in India. As the male Royal Bengal Tiger from Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh settling well in Odisha's Satkosia.

"Many congratulations to the Forest Deptt & Kanha Tiger Reserve on successful translocation of MB2, the first of six planned tigers brought to Satkosia TR in India's first interstate Tiger Relocation exercise. History has been created in tiger conservation and revival efforts in the country," Patnaik said in a tweet.

Odisha forest and environment minister Bijayshree Routray said despite the tiger's 24 hour journey covering about 500 km from Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, the big cat is found to be healthy and fine.

The animal is being watched and kept in an enclosure. The minister said though tigers from one forest to another have been relocated in the past, this is for the first time a Royal Bengal Tiger has undertaken such a long and tedious journey to reach its destination at Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Angul district.

The Wildlife Institute of India and Kanha Tiger Reserve officials will take a call on when the tiger will be released into the wild. The big cat brought from Madhya Pradesh is one of the best specimens of the Royal Bengal Tiger, PCCF (Wildlife) Sandeep Tripathy said.

Forest and Environment Secretary S C Mohapatra said, "We did not have any male tiger at Satkosia. Now, we will watch how the old tigers are behaving with the guest from Madhya Pradesh. We will monitor their movement."

Mohapatra said that a total of three pairs of tigers will be brought from Madhya Pradesh in the time period of two years, out of which one male already arrived.