Satkosia tiger reserve (STR) authorities have planned a new enclosure at Raigoda apparently for tigress Sundari who has been in an enclosure since November last year after being tranquilized by a team of experts.

Sundari was one of the two tigers translocated from the wild of Madhya Pradesh to Satkosia in what was the first such attempt in the country. While the translocated tiger was found dead after being released to the STR, Sundari had to be re-captured due to protest by villagers who alleged that it had preyed upon cattle and had injured two persons.

The forest officials were forced to search for Sundari, tranquillise and keep her in a special enclosure.

The National Tiger Authority, WII and others were at their wits end on what to do with her. The options were limited – release her to another forest or repatriate her to Madhya Pradesh forests.

Meanwhile, STR authorities are planning to set up another special enclosure within the forest area with a live prey base and water bodies to keep Sundari till a final decision is taken. It is learnt that officials of the National Tiger Conservation Authority had come to Satkosia recently to study the activities of Sundari who has been in captivity for a long time.

During the inspection they suggested an additional enclosure at Raigoda where Sundari is staying. Accordingly STR authorities are going ahead with the plan.

STR authorities after the advice had asked a tiger expert and an Odia IFS officer Kahgeswar Nayak to suggest how to execute the plan. Nayak in the meanwhile had visited STR and stayed here for two days.

He has reportedly submitted his plan for the second enclosure. “We are planning to have the second enclosure in an area of five hectare of land to accommodate Sundari. We have sought the advice of the former field director of Kanha National Park, Khageswar Nayak for the second enclosure. He had come here and stayed for the purpose” informed Satkosia DFO Ramasamy.

Looking at the move it appears that Sundari has to stay in the enclosure for a longer period than the animal expert believe that the state government should take an immediate decision about her release or transportation into the wild.

First it was elections and now it is the delay in holding a meeting of STR, NTCA and WII to take a call on the natural abode of Sundari.