Bhubaneswar: A major wildlife operation reached a successful conclusion on Sunday afternoon when Zeenat, the tigress that had strayed from Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve into West Bengal, was finally tranquilized in Bankura after several attempts to sedate her. Prem Kumar Jha, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), confirmed the successful capture.Currently housed in a cage, the tigress will be transported to Alipore Zoo in Kolkata for a thorough health examination. Once her medical evaluation is completed, Zeenat will be returned to Simlipal, said Jha. “The tigress is safe and under control. We are now moving her to Alipore Zoo for a health check-up. After the examination, she will be brought back to Simlipal. We are hopeful the formalities will be completed by this evening, and we expect Zeenat to be back in Simlipal by Monday morning,” Jha said.Following the tranquilisation, the tigress will be kept under close observation to ensure she is in good health. If all goes well, she will be released back into Simlipal’s natural habitat. “The tranquilisation process was carried out successfully at around 4 am. The injection was administered without any significant issues, and the tigress fell unconscious shortly after,” Jha explained.“The capture was smooth, and there were no major complications,” he added. Zeenat’s journey began last month when she was brought to Simlipal from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra as part of a conservation effort to introduce new genetic diversity to the tiger population. However, the tigress strayed from the reserve and wandered over 120 kilometers, traveling through forests at the tri-junction of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha in search of new territory. Her movements sparked concerns in local villages near the forests of the three states, with authorities closely monitoring her progress. The successful tranquilisation and capture of Zeenat brings relief to both local residents and wildlife officials, who had worked tirelessly to ensure her safe return.
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