Baripada, Jan 1: Tigress Zeenat has been safely returned to the Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district after an extensive journey from West Bengal. She was transported late on Tuesday from the Alipore Zoo in Kolkata to Similipal in a special vehicle.
According to sources, the tigress was brought to Odisha via a Green Corridor and crossed the state border at Jamshola around 1:25 am on Tuesday. A 10-member team from the Odisha Forest Department had traveled to Kolkata to oversee her safe transit.
Upon arrival in Similipal, Zeenat was placed in a soft enclosure, where she will be monitored closely to assess her health and behavior. Further actions will be determined based on these observations.
Zeenat’s journey has been a complicated one. Initially released in Similipal Tiger Reserve’s core area on November 23 after being brought from Tadoba, Maharashtra, the tigress ventured out of the reserve on December 8 and made her way into neighboring Jharkhand. She later crossed into West Bengal, complicating tracking efforts. The tigress’s radio collar, which was intended to aid in monitoring her movements, malfunctioned due to technical issues.
Forest officials eventually located Zeenat in Bankura forest in West Bengal. After a 21-day chase, they successfully tranquilized her on Sunday. The animal was then transported to the Alipore Zoo for observation before being handed over to the Odisha Forest Department for her return to Similipal.
Zeenat’s return marks the end of a challenging chapter, but her recovery and well-being will continue to be closely watched as officials take the necessary steps for her reintegration into the reserve.
