Bhubaneswar: Tigress Zeenat, who was traced in a deep forest of West Bengal after she left Odisha’s Similipal, had moved to open space and could be tranquilised, said Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Odisha), wildlife wing, Prem Kumar Jha.
Zeenat, who travelled nearly 200 km in two weeks from Similipal to reach Bandwan in Purulia district of West Bengal. Later, she was traced by tracking her radio collar in Mayurjharna elephant reserve of the state. Later, she again moved to Bundwana forest.
Jha said Zeenat had come out of forest and was traced in an open ground near a dam, which is located close to Bandwan forest. Now it would be convenient to tranqulise her so that she could be brought back to Similipal, he added.
He further said the Forest officials of both Odisha and West Bengal along with the tranquiliser expert were on alert to move to the spot. Now, they were trying to provide food to the tigress and draw her to a suitable place to apply transquiliser, he added.
Zeenat was translocated from Tadoba-Andheri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra to Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha on November 14 to strengthen the gene pool in the reserve. The 3-year-old tigress explored the northern part of Similipal between November 24 and December 8 when she walked past its boundary to explore her own territory.
She initially strayed into Jharkhand and moved further away from Chakulia range into West Bengal territory on the night of December 19, creating hurdles in the Forest department’s plans for possible tranquillisation.
