MP Awaits Formal Requests To Send Eight Tigers To Chhattisgarh, Odisha And Rajasthan

Madhya Pradesh forest officials are eagerly awaiting formal requests from Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Rajasthan regarding the proposed transfer of Bengal tigers from their state. These neighboring states may submit their requests during the winter season. The process of selecting tigers for relocation is expected to commence once these formal requests are received by the state forest department.

L Krishnamurthy, an additional principal chief conservator of forests and wildlife, clarified that the interstate tiger relocation plan entails sending four tigers to Chhattisgarh, three to Odisha, and one to Rajasthan. He emphasized that no demands have been received thus far, and therefore, the identification of the tigers for translocation will only begin after the respective states make their formal requests.

In response to requests from Chhattisgarh, the Head of Forest Force in the state, Arun Kumar Pandey, stated that two tigers will be initially relocated to Guru Ghasidas Tiger Reserve and Udanti Tiger Reserve. Pandey mentioned that preparations for constructing enclosures and making necessary arrangements are underway. However, he highlighted that these preparations at Guru Ghasidas Tiger Reserve will take a minimum of two months, after which a request will be made to Madhya Pradesh for the transfer of the tigers.

Furthermore, Pandey mentioned that the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) had conducted a survey at Udanti Tiger Reserve and discovered that the prey base was insufficient to sustain tigers. Yet, the WII report failed to account for the significant prey base of wild boar, which is also a part of a tiger's diet. Consequently, Pandey intends to submit another request to the WII to reassess and consider the prey base more accurately.

Sources within the Madhya Pradesh forest department revealed that if the neighboring states submit their requests, efforts will be made to identify suitable tigers from their reserves for relocation. It is most likely that tigers will be transferred from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Pench Tiger Reserve, and Satpura Tiger Reserve. Notably, in the previous year, Madhya Pradesh had transferred two tigers to Rajasthan.