Tigress Zeenat tranquilized in West Bengal forest, to be brought to Simlipal soon

Tigress Zeenat, who strayed from Odisha’s Simlipal forest to West Bengal, was finally tranquilized at Bankura on Sunday afternoon following many failed attempts to sedate it, informed Baripada Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF).

As per reports, the tigress has been currently kept in a cage. She will be taken to Alipore Zoo in Kolkata for a health examination. After the completion of the process, the tigress will be brought to Simlipal soon.

“The tigress is safe. We are now carrying it to Alipore Zoo in Kolkata for health examination. After the completion of the process, the tigress will be again brought to Simlipal. We are hopeful that the formalities will be completed by this evening and the wild animal will be carried to Similipal at around 9 pm,” said Wildlife PCCF Prem Kumar Jha.

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“Most probably, Zeenat will be in Simlipal by tomorrow morning. Following the tranquilization process, it is mandatory that the animal will be kept under observation and have a health examination. If everything is found right, the tigress will be handed over to us to carry it to Simlipal again,” he further said.

“We followed the due process of tranquilization and the injection was successfully shot at the tigress at around 4 am. Subsequently, the tigress became unconscious and she was captured successfully. We didn’t have much problem in the process,” he added.

Notably, Zeenat was brought to Similipal from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra last month with the goal of introducing a new gene pool to the tiger population. However, the tigress strayed away from Similipal and covered over 120 km, roaming the forests at the tri-junction of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha in search of new territory.