Angul, Mar 24: Tigress Sundari, who had been tamed in Satakosia wildlife sanctuary in Angul, ultimately returned to its home land in Madhya Pradesh.

The villagers nearby the tiger project gave a sad send off to the big cat while she left for Bandhavgarh on March 23.

Sundari, a tigress and Kanha, a male counterpart had been hired from Bandhavgarh tiger safari in Madhya Pradesh in June 2018. It was released in the tiger project of Satakosia Wildlife Sanctuary in Angul to boost the breed of tiger in Angul.

However, the mission failed when Kanha died after a few days and Sundari became furious, who alleged killed a few people living in the periphery of sanctuary. She was exiled in another part of the sanctuary after being a man-eater. It was kept in the coarse forest adjoining Raigoda range to reduce its wilderness. But, Sundari used to be wilder there, making cattle her everyday prey.

Meanwhile, public anger forced Satakosia wildlife sanctuary authorities to confine Sundari in a barbed enclosure. Since then Sundari had been living in the man-made habitat with a hope that it would cope up with the new habitat and stop killing men.

In fact, Sundari lost its animal tendency and forgot preying, becoming totally dependent on the supplied food. On the other hand, the absolute dormant tigress became a burden for the forest officials.

In order to regain its cannibal nature, the tiger experts prescribed to return Sundari back to its past home.

Accordingly, a six member team of Madhya Pradesh picked up the tiger in a special van at about 4.30 pm on March 23 and left for Bandhavgarh. She will be kept  in the Ghorela  Re-wilding Centre till  it regains its tiger nature. Ultimately, Sundari will be released to her previous home in Madhya Pradesh.