BARIPADA: An eight-month-old female tiger cub rescued from a village in Thakurmunda range of Karanjia forest division has been safely released into the Jamuna enclosure in the core area of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) for acclimatisation, forest officials said on Sunday.
The cub was rescued from Kaparkhai village on September 25 and kept under observation on Thakurmunda range office campus for seven days. During this period, the animal was provided food, nutritional supplements and medical care.
Regional chief conservator of forests-cum-field director of STR Prakash Chand Gogineni said the cub showed significant improvement in health and became active during its stay at the range office. Blood and faecal samples collected from the animal were examined at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), and the reports found no disease or infection.
Following the satisfactory health assessment, the cub was transported to Similipal and released into the one-acre enclosure, earlier occupied by tigress Jamuna, at around 9 pm on October 2. “The rescued cub is active and moving inside the enclosure,” Gogineni said.
Officials said the cub will remain under close observation as part of the rewilding process. A camp has been established near the enclosure, where three forest personnel have been deployed. A CCTV camera has also been installed inside the enclosure to monitor the animal’s movements. The staff will observe the cub round the clock and submit daily reports to the STR authorities.
A decision on releasing the cub into the wild will be taken based on its progress in developing natural behaviour and hunting skills. Officials said the animal will eventually be released into the core area of STR once it is considered capable of surviving independently in the wild.