Bhopal: In a significant move under the animal exchange programme, the Madhya Pradesh government has announced the translocation of 14 tigers to Rajasthan, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh. This initiative aims to bolster tiger populations in the recipient states while maintaining ecological balance across reserves.
According to the state Forest Department, four tigers will be relocated to Rajasthan, two to Odisha, and eight to Chhattisgarh. These big cats will be carefully transferred from Madhya Pradesh’s renowned tiger reserves, including Bandhavgarh, Panna, Kanha, and Pench.
An official order specified that the process must be supervised by an authorised veterinarian, ensuring the safety and well-being of the animals. The states receiving the tigers will bear the costs of the translocation, which will proceed only after mandatory approval from the Centre.
This translocation follows another recent exchange in which Madhya Pradesh provided two Bengal tigers—one male and one female—from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to Gujarat. In return, Gujarat sent two Asiatic lions, a male and a female, from the Sakkarbaug Zoological Park in Junagadh.
The lion pair, both three years old, arrived at Bhopal’s Van Vihar National Park on December 21, after travelling over 900 kilometers. They are currently under quarantine for care and medical examination. Van Vihar now houses two lions and three lionesses.
Madhya Pradesh, home to over 785 of the country’s 3,800 tigers, has consistently held the title of ‘Tiger State,’ according to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The state boasts six tiger reserves: Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Pench, Sanjay Dubri, and Satpura.
Recently, the Centre approved the addition of two more tiger reserves in the state—Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary near Bhopal and Madhav National Park in Shivpuri district—further cementing Madhya Pradesh’s status as a leader in wildlife conservation.
