📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Amudha HariHaran
Science
Male tiger at Debrigarh Sanctuary traced to Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra link probed
✍️ prameyanews.com
🗓 15 Nov 2026, 11:50 AM
👁 17
A newly identified male tiger in Odisha’s Debrigarh Sanctuary has been genetically linked to a population in Chhattisgarh, with authorities also probing a possible connection to Maharashtra.
A fresh male tiger has been recorded in Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Sambalpur district of Odisha. The animal was first spotted by forest officials during routine camera‑trap monitoring and later confirmed as a new resident of the sanctuary.
Genetic samples collected from the tiger were analysed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, which traced its DNA to the tiger population of Chhattisgarh. The match indicates that the animal likely moved across state borders, highlighting the fluid nature of tiger habitats in central India.
Investigators have also noted a possible link to Maharashtra, based on preliminary movement data from neighboring reserves. While the exact route remains under study, officials are examining whether the tiger passed through corridors that connect Maharashtra’s tiger‑bearing forests with those of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
The discovery underscores the importance of coordinated inter‑state conservation strategies, as tiger movements increasingly cross administrative boundaries. Authorities plan to strengthen habitat connectivity and monitor the animal’s movements closely to prevent human‑wildlife conflict.
Genetic samples collected from the tiger were analysed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, which traced its DNA to the tiger population of Chhattisgarh. The match indicates that the animal likely moved across state borders, highlighting the fluid nature of tiger habitats in central India.
Investigators have also noted a possible link to Maharashtra, based on preliminary movement data from neighboring reserves. While the exact route remains under study, officials are examining whether the tiger passed through corridors that connect Maharashtra’s tiger‑bearing forests with those of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
The discovery underscores the importance of coordinated inter‑state conservation strategies, as tiger movements increasingly cross administrative boundaries. Authorities plan to strengthen habitat connectivity and monitor the animal’s movements closely to prevent human‑wildlife conflict.