Populating Tigers in Satkoshia Gorge in Odisha

Satkoshia Gorge is a tiger reserve that has an extensive spread of almost seven miles of the gorge as reported. Thus the name Saat stands for 7 Kosh stands for miles. It is in the Angul District of Odisha. 

The reserve has recent sightings of two females as per the reports. In order to populate tigers at Satkoshia an ambitious program has been chalked out, and good to know that it is an interstate program.

Well MP Government has sent one male tiger to the reserve and the translocation has been successful. The project was carried out under the aegis of Mr. Sanjay Shukla the present field director of Kanha Tiger Reserve in Central India.   

The program is to trans-locate six tigers of which one has already taken place. Another translocation was carried out under FD Mr. Mridul Pathak from Bandhavgarh. Here are some photographs of the events at Kanha  & Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserves. 

Repopulating Tigers 

With the use of modern translocation techniques and tranquilizing methods, the exercise has become safer and a good number of trans-locations have been carried out in India.   

This has been hailed as a good conservation management adaptation. But then the fear is of wanton projects that could undermine the populations of resident tigers. Another fear is a disturbance to breeding and family structure at the place of residence. Thankfully this has not happened because planned efforts are being made to conserve this critically endangered species in India. 

Repopulating tigers usually results in balancing populations in a given habitat in a reserve. This results in the mitigation of territorial fights which often leads to fatality as has been witnessed at Mukki Zone in Kanha recently.

In a given area, the presence of even one dominant male keeps the breeding cycle going without friction between contesting males. The space between takeover by other males is time-stretched allowing the dominant male to complete a life cycle. This is also applicable to tigresses.

Population dynamics are studied carefully and an imbalance in male to female ratio is also a consideration. The presence of cubs and the sire is also taken into consideration. It is a long-drawn exercise and requires extensive planning. Another good that has taken place is that life forms have escaped the vicious net of parochialism as has been seen in the case of Asiatic Lion translocation from Gir in Gujarat.                   

Teams at Satkoshia 

Collaring

Darted Male

Elephants rounding up

ReleaseatEnclosure

Team Kanha 

Shifting

In the enclosure at Satkoshia

Team BTR

Tigress BTR

Transportation 

Collared Tigress BTR

Team at BTR 

Tigress Being Tranquilized BTR

In the truck

 Tigress Bandhavgarh

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No Parochialism This! - Tiger Translocation

Perhaps for the first time, a tiger from Madhya Pradesh has been trans-located to another state. MB 2 male tiger has been tranquilized and is being shifted out of the state to Satkosia Gorge Tiger Reserve in the State of Orissa. He is a big male seen often in the Mukki Zone of Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

Since the last couple of years, Mukki Zone had become a battleground for males seeking dominance. Internecine battles as can be described took place between Kingfisher, Uma and Bhima, and perhaps Chotta Munna. The scuffle for dominance resulted in the death of two male tigers Bhima and Kingfisher. The battles that took place were territorial as well as for procreation. 

       

Video Uploaded By Sharad Vats shows MB2 and Uma male in a scuffle.

MB2 was born from mating between a female of Mukki and a Uma male which is why in the scuffle here he was just pushed off and not killed. But the battle would rage on hence it is a good decision by the Kanha Management to trans-locate him to another tiger reserve.   

MB2 is no match for his father and in the ensuing battle, there was a chance he could have been killed as has happened to the two males. 

With most of the tiger habitats destroyed in India territorial battles between males have become a regular affair with damaging consequences. Since the males cannot spread out trans-locating them is a means to mitigate vicious territorial fights which could lead to the death of the tigers.  

Satkosia Gorge Tiger Reserve has two females once this male tiger from Kanha settles down tiger breeding will begin. Few more tigers are being sent to this reserve as per reports. 

This interstate tiger translocation is a heartening event and speaks much about the sagacity of Kanha management and the MP Government. Practice like this one is carried out in good faith and for the good of the feline species which is in deep trouble.

If only the Gujarat Government takes heed and makes translocation of Asiatic Lion possible to Kuno Palpur in MP it will augur well for the species as well fetch the State out of parochialism. Well, who knows this event will be an eye-opener.