Satkosia Tiger Reserve Tiger Reintroduction Gets NTCA Approval

Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Odisha received in-principle approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority on 30 June 2026 for resuming tiger reintroduction. The reserve had no tigers at the time of the June 2026 assessment, and the earlier reintroduction attempt in 2018 had failed.

Satkosia Tiger Reserve

Satkosia Tiger Reserve covers 1,136 square kilometres and has a core area of 523 square kilometres. The reserve lies in Odisha and was identified for tiger recovery because of its forest cover and historical tiger presence.

Tiger Reintroduction in India

Tiger reintroduction is a wildlife management practice that involves moving tigers into a reserve where the species has declined or disappeared. In India, such projects require habitat suitability, prey availability, protection measures, and monitoring of human-wildlife conflict.

NTCA Review and Project Conditions

The National Tiger Conservation Authority sent a five-member central committee in May 2024 to reassess the feasibility of the project after a proposal submitted in 2023-24. The Odisha Forest Department had to comply with the apex body’s recommendations before the proposal received in-principle approval. The recommendations for resuming the project include voluntary relocation of villages, augmentation of prey species, creation of inviolate spaces, capacity-building for staff, and stronger protection measures inside the reserve.

2018 Reintroduction Attempt

The 2018 translocation project brought a pair of tigers from Madhya Pradesh to Satkosia Tiger Reserve. The male tiger died in a poacher’s snare, and the female tiger, Sundari, was involved in man-animal conflict and was sent back. The failure of the 2018 attempt was linked to low prey density, insecure habitat, weak protection mechanisms, and limited social acceptance among local communities.

Important Facts for Exams

• The National Tiger Conservation Authority is the statutory body that oversees tiger conservation in India under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Satkosia Tiger Reserve is located in Odisha and includes both core and buffer areas, which are common features of tiger reserves in India.
• Tiger translocation projects in India often require prey base improvement before the release of big cats.
• Inviolate spaces in tiger reserves refer to areas with minimal human disturbance and restricted settlement activity.