Bhubaneswar: Sunabeda forest in Nuapada district is likely to get the tiger reserve status soon. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Sisir Rath informed on the occasion of International Tiger Day on Thursday.
The state government is planning to create three new tiger reserves in Gandhamardan forest of Bargarh district, Barbara forest in Khordha-Nayagarh districts and north Athamallik forest in Angul district.
The declining population of tigers in the state has been a major concern. At present Odisha has only 25 tigers.
In 2008, the centre had approved to make Sunabeda as a tiger reserve and asked for final proposal for the project.