Bhubaneswar, Dec 31: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has withheld permission to relocate two Royal Bengal Tigers (RBTs) from Madhya Pradesh to Odisha’s Debrigarh Sanctuary in Bargarh district. 

This decision will remain in effect until the investigation into the departure of two tigresses, Zeenat and Yamuna, from the Similipal Tiger Reserve is concluded.

The NTCA had earlier granted technical clearance for the translocation but is now reassessing the situation in light of the tigresses' movements. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) – Wildlife, Prem Kumar Jha, stated that the authorities would review the findings before deciding whether to proceed with the tiger relocation to Debrigarh.

Explaining the tigresses’ behavior, Jha noted that while male tigers establish fixed territories, tigresses often have overlapping ones. Following their release into Similipal, Zeenat and Yamuna began exploring new territories, resulting in their migration between forest areas. Such territorial expansion is a natural behavior as they establish their ranges, he added.

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