Angul,Nov,15: In another blow to government’s plan to increase tiger population in the state, Royal Bengal tiger ‘Mahavir’ died in Satkosia forest in the district last night.
As per the report, the tiger which had been brought from the Kanha Tiger Reserve of Madhya Pradesh was found dead inside the core area of the Sadkosia forest near Raiguda late in the night yesterday.
While the exact cause of the death of Mahavir, also known as ‘MB2’, is yet to be ascertained, forest officials who rushed to the spot following the incident found the tiger with neck injuries. They have suspected that the injury could have caused the death of the animal.
A team of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has reached the spot and the exact cause of the death will come to fore after postmorteim of the dead tiger, said a source.
Notably, Mahavir’s relocation to Satkosia was a part of country’s first inter-stage tiger relocation project in June this year.
Prasanta Patnaik