Seoni

A tigress from the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh’s Seoni district, which had remained out of reach of forest authorities for nearly three and a half weeks, was successfully captured and airlifted to Rajasthan on Sunday in an Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter, officials said.

The three-year-old tigress, identified as PN-224, had been under close surveillance for the past 24 days. Forest officials said the animal was tracked from early morning and was repeatedly surrounded by trained elephants before it was finally tranquillised in the afternoon. After being sedated, the tigress was safely transported in a specially designed cage to the Sukatra airstrip in Seoni.

From there, an IAF MI-17 helicopter flew the tigress to Ramgarh Vishdhari (Vishdhari) Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan at around 6 pm, marking a key step in inter-state wildlife relocation efforts.

A team of experts accompanied the tigress during the airlift to ensure her safety and wellbeing. The team included Pench Tiger Reserve wildlife veterinarian Dr Akhilesh Mishra, assistant director Gurleen Kaur, Rukhad range ranger Lokesh Pawar, Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) veterinarian Dr Prashant Deshmukh, along with forest officials from Rajasthan.

Pench Tiger Reserve deputy director Rajneesh Singh said the relocation would contribute significantly to conservation goals. “The transfer of tigress PN-224 will help boost the tiger population in Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve and strengthen genetic diversity across different tiger habitats. This mission reflects a scientific approach to wildlife management and strong technical coordination,” he said.

Singh added that the operation showcased effective cooperation between states and agencies. “The most remarkable aspect was the safe air transport of the tigress using an IAF MI-17 helicopter. The relocation was planned and executed methodically over the past month,” he noted.

Officials said advanced monitoring tools were used throughout the operation. Around 50 AI-enabled camera traps and motion-sensor cameras were deployed across the forest to track the tigress’s movements and assess her health and behaviour in real time.

The successful capture and relocation were made possible through close coordination between the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Forest Departments. Rajasthan’s Chief Conservator of Forests, Suganaram Jat, and veterinarian Dr Tejinder had been camping at Pench for the past eight days to oversee preparations.

The entire process was carried out under the supervision of Pench Tiger Reserve field director Devprasad J and deputy director Rajneesh Kumar Singh. The tranquillisation procedure was led by Dr Akhilesh Mishra and Dr Prashant Deshmukh, with support from experts from Jabalpur Veterinary College and field biologists. Assistant director Gurleen Kaur coordinated the transfer phase.

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Officials also acknowledged the crucial role played by field staff from the Kurai and Rukhad ranges, who conducted daily patrols from early morning to evening to track the tigress and ensure the operation’s success.