Tigress Zeenat enters Purulia’s Manbazar forest

Kolkata: Tigress Zeenat once again changed location on Friday morning and took shelter under Dangardi beat at Manbazar forest in Purulia.

Sources said the tigress which was staying under Bandwan range in Purulia since December 22 travelled some 20 odd kilometres on Thursday night to reach Manbazar. “We have taken all possible measures to safely tranquilize the tigress at Manbazar Forest. It is a small patch of forest. Our department is guarding with nylon net and manpower to prevent the tigress from entering the locality. Four tranquilising teams are placed at strategic locations. Live baits are placed with smart trap cages for capture,” said S. Kulandaivel, chief conservator of forests.

Smart trap cameras were installed for tracking the beast’s behavioural pattern while her location is being tracked through the radio collar fitted on her. Meanwhile, residents of Patharjal area claimed to have spotted pugmarks in a potato field close to the present location of the tiger on Friday morning. “We are living in fear after we spotted the pug marks. However, the foresters have assured us of all safety measures,” said local resident Joychand Hembram.

Interestingly, the tigress has not fallen for the live baits (goat & buffalo calves) used by the Forest department. Instead, it has hunted cattle belonging to the villagers that ventured into the forest. Since December 10, Forest departments of Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha are closely monitoring the tiger’s movement. It travelled from Simlipal forest in Odisha and sneaked into Bandwan forest range in Purulia on December 22 morning after remaining under Belpahari range at Jhargram for two days.

The three year old Zeenat was brought from Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve and released in Simlipal North in November.