When Will Zeenat Return To Odisha’s Similipal? NTCA Questions Bengal For The Zoo Trip

Bhubaneswar: When will Zeenat captured in West Bengal after 21-day pursuit return to Odisha’s Similipal?

“We have sent a letter to Bengal chief wildlife warden requesting authorisation for Zeenat’s transfer to Similipal,” field director, Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), Prakash Gogineni was quoted as saying.

The three-year-old tigress left STR in the early hours of December 8 and made her way to Jharkhand and from there to West Bengal, covering more than 200 km and giving both foresters and people living near forested areas sleepless nights. After 21 days, the elusive tiger was finally darted and captured on December 29. It was then taken to Alipore Zoo in Kolkata for blood and stool sample collection. West Bengal also has formed a medical team to monitor the big cat, which was relocated to Similipal from Maharashtra’s Tadoba in November to strengthen its gene pool.

The Odisha forest official are awaiting permission and a ‘fit certificate’ from vets to bring her back to STR, the TOI reported quoting sources.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), however, has questioned the West Bengal forest department’s decision to keep Zeenat in a squeezed case in a zoo instead of transferring it back to STR in violation of the standard operating procedure (SOP). “Apprise this authority for the reason why the said tigress was shifted to Alipore Zoo, instead of translocating it back to the state of Odisha as per the SOP of the NTCA,” the letter said.

The Bengal forest department has been asked to immediately shift the tigress (T163-S1) to Similipal to avoid any imprinting or human interaction in captivity.

“We have sent a letter to the West Bengal Forest department to know why the tigress was taken to Alipore Zoo. It should have been sent to Simlipal Tiger Reserve instead,” HT reported, quoting NTCA member secretary Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj.

According to reports, Bengal chief wildlife warden Debal Roy has not given a potential date for her return. “Sunday’s operation was taxing. Hence, she requires rest. We are doing intravenous hydration for the tigress Zeenat is perfectly healthy and upon reaching the zoo she even roared,” he was quoted as saying by TOI.