Sambalpur: Good news for nature lovers, Debrigarh to have tiger sanctuary: NTCA approved
Sambalpur: Good news for nature lovers. Another tiger sanctuary is going to be built in Odisha. 804 square kilometers of protected forest will be created by including the Debrigarh sanctuary spread over Bargarh and Sambalpur districts along with Saraidamak and Dechuan protected forests. For this, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has approved the proposal submitted by Odisha government to the Central from 2018.
Debrigarh Sanctuary is home to a large number of Leopard tigers along with a variety of wildlife. However, in 2017, poachers killed the only tiger in the sanctuary. Since then Debrigarh Tiger remained empty. But, in 2022, another young Male mahabal tiger came and entered this sanctuary and took shelter. After this, the NTCA approved the sanctuary as a tiger project.
It will be legally recognized as a tiger conservation project after the Odisha government issues a notification in this regard. While there is currently one tiger here, when the protected tiger project is announced, more tigers will be brought in to make it a complete tiger sanctuary. After the failure of the Satkosia tiger conservation project, Debrigarh has installed new hope in the minds of environmentalists.
It is worth noting that there are 38 to 40 wild animals per square kilometer of Debrigarh Sanctuary. The tiger’s favorite prey is Sambar. Apart from this, Chitra Deer, Wild Barha, Wild Buffalo are seen here in large numbers. Debrigarh Sanctuary is connected to Udanti Sita River in Chhattisgarh on one side and Achankamar Tiger Sanctuary on the opposite side. Similarly, it has ties with Telangana’s Kawal Tiger Project, Odisha’s Sunabeda and Satkosia Tiger Sanctuary. Therefore, the way for tigers to come here from all these places is open.
