BHUBANESWAR: Even as the wait for tigress Zeenat’s return from Jharkhand continues, Jamuna, another big cat which was relocated to Similipal from Tadoba in Maharashtra, has moved out of the tiger reserve to Kuldiha, adding to the challenges for the state wildlife officials.
As per reports, Jamuna, the first tigress to be relocated to Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) as part of a big cat supplementation programme in November this year, ventured out of the protected area on Sunday night and moved into the forests of neighbouring Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in Balasore.
The dispersing female tigress has been exploring the Kuldiha landscape has prompted STR authorities to work with the Balasore Wildlife Division to monitor its movement.
The issue has piled up challenges for the officials of the STR and state wildlife wing who are spending sleepless nights to make Zeenat return to Similipal from the forests of neighbouring Jharkhand for the last nine days.
“The movement of the tigress is being monitored by both the STR and Balasore Wildlife Division officials. Though Kuldiha falls under a separate jurisdiction, it is well connected to STR and is very much a part of the Similipal landscape,” said PCCF Wildlife Prem Kumar Jha.
Deputy director of Similipal South Samrat Gouda said it is quite natural for the big cats of Similipal to use the Similipal-Hadgarh-Kuldiha corridor that was declared as a conservation reserve last year.
Jamuna, after its release into the core of Similipal south, has roamed for over 300 km in the tiger habitat and has also ventured close to Kuldiha sanctuary multiple times, Gouda said.
“The tigress is still exploring its new habitat and has covered the entire Similipal three to four times looking for a suitable site to establish its territory,” he said.
Gouda said their team along with forest officials of Balasore Wildlife Division are closely monitoring the movement of the big cat. “We are hopeful that it will establish its territory in the Similipal landscape soon,” he said.
Jamuna was the first tigress translocated to STR on October 28 to supplement the existing big cat population of the tiger reserve and bring diversity to their gene pool. It was released into the core area on November 9. Gouda said the behaviour of the 31-month-old tigress has been absolutely normal and it is in good health.
Meanwhile, STR officials said their team is still camping in Jharkhand helping the the wildlife officials of the neighbouring state in tracking the movement of the tigress. The tigress is still in the same forest block of Jharkhand where it had moved on December 9, forest officials said.