The adventurous journey of Zeenat, a three-year-old tigress, captivated many as it unfolded over the past three weeks. After escaping from Odisha’s Simlipal Tiger Reserve, Zeenat roamed across multiple states, covering Jharkhand, and finally West Bengal, where her capture was achieved on December 29.
Zeenat’s Journey
- Zeenat had initially been moved from Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve to Simlipal in Odisha. However, after being released into Simlipal’s core area on November 23, she managed to stray into Jharkhand and eventually into West Bengal’s Bankura district.
- Her wandering made tracking and capturing her a formidable task for the forest departments of Odisha and West Bengal.
- The tigress was eventually tranquillised after a challenging 21-day chase and transferred to the Alipore Zoo in Kolkata for observation. Following this, she was handed back to the Odisha Forest Department and returned to the Simlipal Tiger Reserve.
- The successful sedation and safe relocation of Zeenat was a significant relief for the forest officials, whose joint efforts ensured the tigress’s safety while addressing the complexities of cross-state wildlife management.
