Madhya Pradesh to Relocate 14 Tigers to Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha
Bhopal, Dec 26 (NationPress) The government of Madhya Pradesh has announced plans to relocate 14 tigers to Rajasthan, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh through its animal exchange program.
The state Forest Department reported that the distribution will include four tigers heading to Rajasthan, two to Odisha, and eight to Chhattisgarh.
These majestic big cats will be transported from the tiger reserves located in Madhya Pradesh, specifically from Bandhavgarh, Panna, Kanha, and Pench. The transfer will occur under the careful oversight of an authorized veterinarian.
An official directive from the state Forest Department emphasized, “The translocation of tigers should be executed under veterinary supervision to ensure the safety of the animals.”
All costs associated with the transfer of these tigers will be covered by the receiving states. The relocation process will proceed only after receiving the necessary approvals from the Central government.
In a recent development, Madhya Pradesh successfully provided two Bengal tigers (one male and one female) from the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to Gujarat as part of the animal exchange program.
Madhya Pradesh also welcomed two Asiatic lions - one male and one female - from the Sakkarbaug Zoological Park in Junagadh, Gujarat. This lion pair arrived and is now housed at Van Vihar in Bhopal.
After a journey exceeding 900 kilometers from Junagarh, these big cats reached Bhopal's Van Vihar National Park on December 21 and are currently in quarantine for health assessments.
Both lions, aged three years, are being observed in quarantine. Van Vihar National Park is home to two lions and three lionesses.
After receiving clearance from the Central Zoo Authority, a nine-member team traveled to Junagadh Zoo on December 17 with a tiger and tigress from Van Vihar National Park.
Madhya Pradesh, known as the 'Tiger State', houses more than 785 of the nation's 3,800 big cats, as reported by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
The state boasts six prominent tiger reserves: Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Pench, Sanjay Dubri, and Satpura.
Recently, the Centre has given its approval for two additional tiger reserves: Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhopal and Madhav National Park in Shivpuri district.
