Zeenat reaches Simlipal Tiger Reserve, released into the wild

Kolkata: The New Year began on a happy and cheerful note for tigress Zeenat who reached Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha in the wee hours on Wednesday and released into the wild.

“We have made a soft release of Zeenat in a small patch of one hectare in South Simlipal. The tigress was completely normal in its movement and is in good health. She will be under watch for a few days. When we feel that she has adjusted to the natural forest habitat, she will be released in the proper STR forest area,” said Prem Kumar Jha, principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF), Odisha. He added that a calf was released which the tiger hunted and ate.

Zeenat was handed over to the STR officials at around 8.12 pm on Tuesday night from Alipore Zoo hospital. Both Bengal and Odisha police authorities made arrangements for a green corridor for the tiger’s transportation to Odisha. It was brought to the Zoo Hospital on Sunday night after tranquilisation at Gosaidingi forest in South Bankura.

The tigress was brought from Maharashtra and released at Simlipal in November last week. She had travelled a long distance and sneaked into forest areas of Jharkhand and Bengal since December 10 but was ultimately tranquilised on Sunday late afternoon.