Tiger covers over 1000 km to establish new territory in Odisha 

A tiger that was camera-trapped in Toda Reserve Forest under the Bonai Division of Sundargarh reportedly walked over 1000 kilometres to establish its new territory. 

According to the Forest Department sources, the big cat has migrated from Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh to Toda Reserve Forest. On its way to Odisha, it has passed through three tiger sanctuaries and corridors of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. 

It was the Bonai DFO who first informed about this tiger being tracked through camera. 

Though it has been in Toda Reserve Forest for a year now, it had not been caught by cameras. After it was camera-trapped, the Tiger cell of NTCA reportedly confirmed its presence. 

“Happy to share that one Tiger has been camera trapped in Sundergarh district almost after two decades. The Tiger cell of NTCA confirmed it to have migrated out of Sanjay Dubri TR. Must have travelled a few hundred miles to carve out its new territory in Odisha. Welcome,” read the post by PCCF (Wildlife), Susant Nanda on social media platform X (SIC).

Also Read: Melanistic tiger population rising in Odisha: Should we worry? 

While informing about the tiger, PCCF (Wildlife) Susant Nanda said, “We had signs of its presence. But we are convinced only after it was camera-trapped and confirmed by the tiger cell of the NTCA that it has migrated from the Central India landscape. Since it covered so many locations, it must have walked over 1000 kilometres. However, the aerial distance between Sanjay Dubri TR, its previous location and its present location is 570 kilometres. After covering over 1000 kilometres, it has reached here to establish a new territory.” 

Later in the day, the PCCF also shared another post on his X handle to inform that a female melanistic leopard along with its two cubs-one melanistic and one normal has been spotted in the forests of Central Odisha. He also shared four pictures of the big cats.