Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Under the interstate translocation plan, a tigress is to be airlifted from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to Rajasthan shortly.
On Tuesday, a mock drill of the translocation process was carried out, with an Indian Army chopper participating.
During the drill, a van used for transporting the feline arrived at a makeshift helipad. Forest officials conducted all procedures of translocating the tigress. Later, the helicopter flew away from the site.
Interacting with Free Press, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve’s Field Director Anupam Sahay said a tigress will be translocated to Rajasthan soon. “We have identified three to four tigresses, and whichever is captured first will be translocated,” he said. He said that an Indian Army chopper took part in the mock drill.
Earlier, a tigress from Pench Tiger Reserve was translocated to Rajasthan in December, also with the help of an Indian Army chopper.
Notably, the state plans to give around a dozen felines to neighbouring states, including Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
Translocation soon
The translocation from Bandhavgarh to Rajasthan is expected to take a day or two. This time, Rajasthan forest officials will not arrive in Madhya Pradesh to witness the process. “Earlier, they had come to Pench Tiger Reserve and participated in the entire translocation. Now they are familiar with the process, so they will not arrive this time,” said an officer of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.
