Tracking Zeenat: A Tigress on the Move Across States

Officials in West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha are vigilantly monitoring a tigress named Zeenat, who escaped from Simlipal Tiger Reserve. Currently in Bengal, Zeenat is tracked by radio collar and forest personnel are prepared to secure her safely without human-wildlife conflict.

The elusive movements of a tigress named Zeenat have sparked a coordinated effort among forest departments across West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Since escaping from the Simlipal Tiger Reserve 10 days ago, the tigress has been persistently tracked with the help of a radio collar.

Zeenat, now believed to be in Bengal territory, has prompted Bengal forest officials to maintain a vigilant watch. With camouflaged cages and bait set as precautions, a special squad is striving to ensure her safe return. Minister of State for Forest, Birbaha Hansda, emphasized that public safety is a priority as locals are advised against venturing deep into the forest.

The tigress, which has covered approximately 40 km from Simlipal, is displaying typical territorial behavior, according to a senior forest official. Authorities are hopeful that Zeenat will eventually return to the reserve due to the limited prey availability in her current location. Efforts continue to avoid any man-animal conflicts, with plans in place to guide her back to Odisha safely.

(With inputs from agencies.)