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This is an archive article published on December 13, 2024
How a 3-year-old tigress has sent forest officials of Odisha, Jharkhand and Bengal into tizzy
Zeenat, a three-year-old tigress, has covered at least 35 kilometre from Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve into Jharkhand, and is now 10-15 km near the West Bengal border.
On November 5, just days after Rika gave birth to three cubs, she tried to move them to the night shelter by grabbing them in her mouth (Representative image)
A month ago, Zeenat, a tigress, and a tiger were introduced to Simlipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha from Maharashtra, as a part of a programme to strengthen the reserve’s gene pool. Today, Zeenat is within 10 to 15 km of the West Bengal border in Jhargram.
Her escape four days ago saw her cross a border into Jharkhand — sending forest officials of Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal into high alert and a tizzy.
The three-year-old tigress has covered at least 35 kilometre in distance.
“Our teams are there and we are tracking her and monitoring her. She has a radio collar on and therefore we have her exact location,” Prakash Chand Gogineni, director of Simlipal Tiger Reserve, told The Indian Express over the phone. “This is very common for tigers,” he added.
A special team of Odisha and Jharkhand forest officials are monitoring the tigress, who is presently inside a forest area. However, there is a chance of conflict since there are villages around, said a senior official of the Jharkhand Forest department.
“The exact location has not been revealed to the public since it may cause panic. We are also mulling tranquilising the tigress if the situation demands,” said the official.
Meanwhile, officials of the reserve are hopeful of her return and are not keen on tranquilising her.
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“The prey base is low in the area where the tigress is presently located. So, we can hope that she turns back and comes towards the reserve since there is more prey here. At present, we do not think that tranquilising is necessary. However, if there is a conflict (man-animal) or a situation emerges, we may go for tranquilising it. Our teams are ready for any eventuality,” Gogineni said.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal Forest department has deployed three 24 x 7 patrolling teams along the forest in the state border area. Roads inside forest areas are also under vigil. Officials here, too, are refraining from updating local people on Zeenat’s location.
“Other teams are positioned near villages. We have asked our officials to keep a watch on forest pathways which are frequented by villagers and school children. Patrolling is done also in the night and early hours when tigers generally move,” said a highly placed Forest department official.
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