Tiger’s journey from Maharashtra to Odisha via Chhattisgarh traced

Sambalpur | Desk: A ‘Chhattisgarh’ connection has emerged regarding a tiger discovered in Odisha’s Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary. Camera-trap data has shed light on the mystery behind the tiger’s long journey.

Forest officials have confirmed that the male Royal Bengal Tiger recently spotted in the Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary had previously spent six months roaming the Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh.

The Forest Department estimates that the tiger’s journey originally began in Maharashtra. This means the tiger crossed the borders of three states to reach Debrigarh, starting in Maharashtra, passing through Chhattisgarh, and finally arriving in Debrigarh.

This conclusion was reached after analyzing the stripe patterns on the tiger’s body, captured in images from camera traps provided by the Chhattisgarh Forest Department. The tiger was previously sighted in the Udanti-Sitanadi Sanctuary and entered the Debrigarh Sanctuary on November 9.

However, there is currently no camera-trap evidence detailing the exact route the tiger took to travel from Maharashtra through Chhattisgarh and into Odisha. Meanwhile, the Debrigarh Forest Department has requested further information from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to help reconstruct the full history of the tiger’s movements.