BHUBANESWAR : Even as the wait for Zeenat’s return from Jharkhand gets longer and longer, Jamuna, the first tigress to have been relocated to Similipal from Tadoba in Maharashtra, has moved out of the tiger reserve to Kuldiha, adding to the woes of the state wildlife officials.
As per reports, Jamuna 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 since then, prompting Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) authorities to work in coordination with the Balasore Wildlife Division to monitor its movement.
The development has piled up challenges for the officials of STR and state wildlife wing who are spending sleepless nights to make Zeenat return to Similipal from the forests of neighbouring Jharkhand over 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 wellconnected 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 which has been declared a conservation reserve last year. “In fact, Jamuna, after its release in the core of Similipal South, has covered over 300 km in the tiger habitat and has also ventured close to Kuldiha sanctuary multiple times. 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 Balasore wildlife officials 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 Similipal on October 28 to supplement the existing big cat population of the tiger reserve and bring diversity to their gene pool. It was released in the core area on November 9.
The behaviour of the 31-month-old tigress has been absolutely normal and it is in good health, Gouda said.
Meanwhile, STR officials said their team is still camping in Jharkhand helping wildlife officials of the neighbouring state in tracking the movement of Zeenat. The tigress is still in the same forest block of Jharkhand where it had moved to on December 9, forest officials said.