December 31st 2024.
The beautiful tigress, Zeenat, is finally making her way back to the Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha after her daring escape three weeks ago. According to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Prem Kumar Jha, the process of bringing her back from West Bengal has begun and she is expected to arrive at the reserve tonight.
Jha shared that Zeenat will be placed in a natural enclosure in the core area of the reserve, where another tigress named Jamuna was previously kept. This will allow the authorities to observe her behavior and make a decision about releasing her into the wild. It's a crucial step in ensuring her successful reintegration into her natural habitat.
Zeenat was originally brought to the Similipal Tiger Reserve from Tadoba in Maharashtra in November, to help diversify the gene pool of the tiger population there. However, on December 8th, she made a daring escape and crossed over to Jharkhand, before finally reaching West Bengal after a 200 km journey. During her journey, she caused quite a stir among villagers and managed to evade forest guards.
After days of tracking and failed attempts, Zeenat was finally caught on December 29th in Bankura district of West Bengal. She was then taken to the Alipore Zoo in Kolkata for medical examination, where a team was formed to monitor her health. Meanwhile, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) wrote to the West Bengal government, questioning why Zeenat was taken to Alipore Zoo instead of being immediately sent back to Similipal.
The NTCA emphasized that Zeenat was brought to Similipal as part of a special initiative to improve the genetic makeup of the tigers there. A team of forest officials, led by the Field Director of Similipal Tiger Reserve, Prakash Chand Gogineni, were in West Bengal to assist with Zeenat's return.
As Zeenat makes her way back to her home in Similipal, we can only hope that she will be able to adjust back to her natural surroundings and continue to thrive in the reserve.
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