End of the Chase: Tigress Zeenat Captured After 21-Day Journey Across Three States.
End of the Chase: Tigress Zeenat Captured After 21-Day Journey Across Three States.
After an extensive journey spanning three states and 300 km over 21 days, a three-year-old tigress that escaped from Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve has been successfully captured near Gosaindihi village in Bankura district, West Bengal. Chief Wildlife Warden Debal Ray reported that the capture took place around 4:09 pm, a result of the dedicated efforts of forest officials from both West Bengal and Odisha.
Officials indicated that the tigress would first be taken to Alipore Zoo in Kolkata for a health check and assessment of her vital signs. Following this, she will be transported back to Similipal Tiger Reserve, her original habitat before her journey into Jharkhand and then West Bengal.
My heartiest congratulations to the forest officials of West Bengal on the successful rescue of the tigress- Zeenat. My sincere gratitude to the district administration, police, panchayat functionaries and the local people for their invaluable support and collaboration in this… pic.twitter.com/KHJQHLhOzK
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 29, 2024
It was noted that forest officials had been attempting to dart Zeenat since Saturday. Of the five attempts made over the weekend, three darts hit her, but she could not be properly tranquilized. The operation was resumed on Sunday afternoon to ensure her safe capture.
Ray explained the challenges involved in sedating a tiger using a tranquiliser dart. He mentioned that it is crucial to ensure that the dart hits at the correct angle, penetrates properly, and contains enough tranquilising liquid to effectively put the animal to sleep.
P K Jha, Odisha’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), confirmed that the tigress was healthy and would be returned to Similipal as soon as possible. He noted that a 15-member team from Odisha’s Forest Department collaborated with officials from the West Bengal Forest Department to capture the tigress.
Jha mentioned that they plan to keep the tigress in a soft enclosure within the Similipal core area for an extended period to help her adapt better to the region. They will monitor her movements in the enclosure using a radio collar attached to her neck.
Zeenat was brought to Similipal Tiger Reserve from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra on November 14 as part of a program aimed at enhancing the gene pool of tigers in the reserve. Ten days later, she was released into the core area of the reserve.
On December 8, Zeenat left the reserve and wandered into Jharkhand. After spending more than a week in the Chakulia area of Jharkhand, she made her way into Jhargram in West Bengal.
From there, she moved to Bandwan in Purulia and then to Manbazar in the same district. On Sunday morning, the tigress entered the Ranibandh area in Bankura.
Throughout her journey from Similipal to Bankura, Zeenat traveled over 300 km. Experts suggest that it is typical for tigers to cover such distances in search of a suitable area or territory with a good prey base.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee praised the forest officials and district administration for their successful rescue of tigress Zeenat. She expressed her heartfelt congratulations on social media, thanking the forest officials for their efforts. Banerjee also acknowledged the invaluable support and collaboration from the district administration, police, panchayat members, and local residents. She highlighted that this rescue is an excellent example of teamwork and commitment to wildlife conservation. According to her, their combined efforts not only saved a majestic animal that had wandered from its habitat but also emphasized the importance of safeguarding our natural heritage. She concluded by thanking everyone for their exceptional work.
Bengal Forest Minister Birbaha Hansda stated in a phone interview that officials were able to avoid any conflicts between humans and animals during the hunt. He mentioned that the staff of the state forest department worked tirelessly for Zeenat. In addition to local officials from Odisha, they also brought in experts from the Sunderbans to help tranquilize the tigress. He expressed that everyone was quite anxious, as there was a risk of injury to either the tigress or the villagers. The most positive outcome was that there were no incidents of human-animal conflict, allowing them to protect both parties involved.
