Bonai, March 19: The forest department has spotted a Royal Bengal Tiger in the Tora Forest Reserve within the Bonai Forest Division (BFD) of Sundargarh district.
A Royal Bengal Tiger’s presence was captured in camera on February 26 and 27 in Tora Forest Reserve spanning 1,57, 22,869 hectare across Barsuan and Koida ranges. It was confirmed on Monday during checking of photos captured on camera, said Bonai divisional forest officer (DFO) Lalit Patra.
This marks the first camera evidence of a tiger recorded within the BFD limits, providing concrete proof of tiger’s presence in the area after two decades.
Over 100 cameras have been installed in different forests under Bonai range. The department has planned to install 40 more cameras in Tora Forest Reserve to tracj movement of the tiger. Besides, we will make awareness among the forest dwellers, said Patra.
People residing around the forests have been asked to inform the forest department if they find any information about the tiger, he added.
It is suspected that the tiger has travelled from the Sanjay-Duburi Tiger Reserve (SDTR) in Madhya Pradesh.
