December 21st 2024.
According to sources, there has been a recent development in the search for the three-year-old tigress named 'Zeenat'. It is believed that she has now made her way into the West Bengal forests after escaping from the Similipal Tiger Reserve a few days ago and crossing over into Jharkhand. Forest officials from all three states are working together to closely monitor her movements as she roams through the contiguous forest belt.
The tigress, who is equipped with a radio collar, is currently believed to be in Bengal territory. A special squad of Bengal forest officials is on high alert, keeping a close eye on her movements. They have even set up camouflaged cages with trap doors and placed cattle as bait to safely capture her if needed. Minister of State for Forest, Birbaha Hansda, assured that the situation is under control and there is no need to panic. He also mentioned that forest personnel from Jharkhand and Odisha are working alongside their team.
The tigress has been spotted in a forested area in the Junglemahal region of West Bengal, according to a senior forest official. However, the exact location has not been disclosed for safety reasons. In the meantime, people living in certain areas, such as Belpahari, have been advised to avoid being outdoors after dark and to refrain from harming the animal if they come across her.
The tigress has already covered a distance of about 40 km since she strayed from Similipal in Odisha. This is a normal behavior for tigers, as they often wander in search of a new territory, the official explained. It is believed that the forested areas of these three neighboring states, which have similar habitats, have become a corridor for her as she tries to establish a new base. The officials are working on safely relocating her back to the Similipal reserve or releasing her into a reserve forest in Odisha if she is captured. Their main priority is to prevent any conflicts between humans and the tigress.
The senior state forest official further added that the prey base in the area where the tigress is currently located is low. Therefore, they are hopeful that she will eventually turn back to the Similipal reserve, where there is a greater availability of prey. With the combined efforts of forest officials from all three states, they are confident that the situation will be resolved without any harm to either the tigress or humans.
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