Baripada: Close on the heels of tigress ‘Zeenat’, who had been relocated from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, leaving the Similipal Tiger Reserve for the forests in neighbouring Jharkhand, tigress Jamuna also moved out of the park and strayed into Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in Balasore district.
According to reports, who had also been relocated from Maharashtra, crossed the Similipal Tiger Reserve Sunday night and reached Kuldiha in neighbouring Balasore district adding to the difficulties of Forest Department personnel who are spending sleepless nights to make Zeenat return to Similipal. Zeenat has been roaming in Jharkhand’s forests for the past eight days and is showing no signs of returning to Similipal.
Now, Forest personnel are actively tracking both the big cats. Experts are of the view that lack of suitable habitats within Similipal might be driving the tigresses to explore nearby forests.
Regional Chief Wildlife Warden and Field Director of Tiger Conservation Project, Prakash Chand Gogineni, confirmed that both tigresses Zeenat and Jamuna are being tracked to ensure their safety. The tigresses were relocated to Similipal from Maharashtra as part of an initiative to boost big cat population and bring change in their genetic diversity in the reserve. However, their recent movements away from the sanctuary have raised concerns about the viability of these efforts.
The tigresses leaving the Similipal Reserve Forest brings to fore challenges related to habitat suitability and the complexities of ensuring tiger conservation in fragmented landscapes. This has also cast doubt on ongoing plans to enhance genetic diversity within the reserve’s tiger population.
