Mayurbhanj:Â The authorities at the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) have released ‘Zeenat’, a Royal Bengal Tigress from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra, into the wild from her soft enclosure, as stated by an official on Monday.
‘Zeenat’ is the second tigress to be released into the core area of the Similipal Tiger Reserve, following ‘Jamuna’, who was also brought from TATR.
“The release of Tiger Zeenat into the core area of the North division took place on Sunday night. After the gates were opened in the evening, she moved out at 9:30 pm,” said STR field director Prakash Chand Gogineni.
The official further mentioned that the tigress is under constant surveillance by three teams from the Similipal North division, and after her release from the soft enclosure on Sunday night, Zeenat rested in the forest.
Previously, the STR authorities had released another tigress, ‘Jamuna’, into the core area. “At present, both tigresses, Jamuna and Zeenat, are roaming freely in Similipal,” the official added.
Odisha’s PCCF (Wildlife) Susant Nanda stated in a post: “Today, Tigress Zeenat was released from her soft enclosure. As a new member of the Simlipal family, brought through an interstate translocation program from TATR in Maharashtra, she is set to introduce much-needed genetic diversity to the Simlipal Tiger Reserve.” Officials have noted that STR is pioneering tiger supplementation to enhance the gene pool, a first anywhere in the world.
Tigress Zeenat, who arrived at Similipal on November 15, was initially placed in a soft enclosure within the STR.
Zeenat is the second tigress, following Jamuna, to be brought to Odisha under the translocation program aimed at boosting the state’s tiger population. Both tigresses were radio-collared before their release into the wild, according to officials.
The STR is home to 27 tigers, with 13 exhibiting pseudo-melanism—a genetic disorder resulting from inbreeding that could eventually negatively affect the population of the typical yellow-coated Royal Bengal Tigers.
