Tigress Zeenat to be released in southern part of Odisha’s Similipal reserve

By the time it was captured, Zeenat had been travelling for 21 days. It is currently in a soft enclosure of one hectare in Jenabil range in the reserve’s southern division, forest officials said.

“It is in good health and there’s nothing unusual in her behaviour,” Odisha’s principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) PK Jha told The Indian Express. “We are observing its movements.”

It is currently in a soft enclosure of one hectare in Jenabil range in the reserve’s southern division, forest officials said.

The tigress is likely to be kept in the soft enclosure for around 10 days before it will be released into the wild.

“A committee has been formed which will suggest measures and the probable region where the tigress will be released into the wild,” Jha said

According to forest officials, the decision to release the tigress in the southern part of Similipal is being taken considering the northern part is close to the Jharkhand border. “Since the tigress has once ventured into Jharkhand, it may have the tendency. To avoid further recurrence, it’s being planned to release it in the southern part,” a senior official said.

Another tigress, Jamuna, which was also brought from the Tadoba-Andhari reserve, was released earlier in the southern part of Similipal reserve, which according to forest officials is fine and gradually adapting to the region.