When a tiger central to a major genetic rescue programme crossed state boundaries, the challenge was no longer confined to a single forest or administration. It became a test of coordination, field leadership, technology and the determination to protect an animal vital to the future of an entire tiger population. Sai Kiran D.N., an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of the 2017 batch and DFO of Malkangiri Forest Division in Odisha, found himself at the forefront of that high-stakes mission.
For nearly a month, he helped lead an interstate operation to track and safely retrieve Tigress Zeenath after she travelled more than 300 kilometres across Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Satellite telemetry, thermal drones, real-time geospatial monitoring and coordinated frontline action became the tools of an operation that demanded patience as much as precision. Her eventual safe return to Similipal on December 29, 2024, and subsequent reintroduction on January 1, 2025, preserved more than one tiger—it protected the genetic rescue programme designed to secure the long-term ecological future of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).
Indian Masterminds interacted with Mr Kiran, who originally belongs to Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, to understand the Zeenath rescue operation, the challenges involved, and how technology, field coordination and community participation contributed to the wider conservation effort.
A Silent Genetic Crisis in Similipal
By 2023, Similipal was experiencing a paradox. Its tiger population had grown from just five individuals in 2014 to 32 in 2024, yet the recovery came with a serious genetic concern caused by years of isolation.
More than half of the adult tigers were exhibiting pseudo-melanism, a dark coat pattern associated with severe inbreeding. The proportion of pseudo-melanistic tigers had risen from around 20 per cent to 59.37 per cent, signalling the vulnerability of the reserve’s isolated gene pool.
To address this, the Odisha government and the wildlife wing decided to introduce tigers from outside Similipal to diversify its genetic pool. But the conservation strategy was not limited to translocation.
Before bringing new apex predators into the landscape, efforts were made to strengthen the relationship between the forest and its surrounding communities. Forest-fringe villages were supported through sustainable livelihood initiatives so that local residents could become active partners in conservation rather than remain dependent on forest resources.
Mr Kiran emphasises that community participation is fundamental to long-term wildlife protection.
“You cannot protect a tiger simply by building a stronger fence. True conservation begins in the villages. By prioritizing sustainable livelihoods for our forest-fringe communities, we didn’t just reduce local dependence on the forest—we built an active frontline of local conservationists.”
Zeenath’s Unexpected Journey
In November 2024, Similipal welcomed Zeenath, a translocated tigress, into a soft enclosure following the arrival of another tigress, Jamuna.
But the wilderness had its own plans.
Soon after her release, Zeenath was reportedly spooked by an elephant herd and broke away. What followed was an extraordinary journey through multiple landscapes and administrative jurisdictions. The tigress moved continuously for more than 300 kilometres, travelling from Odisha into the forests around Jamshedpur in Jharkhand and eventually deep into West Bengal.
The conservation mission suddenly transformed into an interstate wildlife rescue operation.
The team had to track an animal that was not only moving across unfamiliar terrain but was also rapidly learning how to avoid human intervention.
When Traditional Methods Failed, Technology Took Over
Zeenath proved to be exceptionally intelligent and adaptive. She began avoiding camouflaged vehicles, baits and human scents, making conventional capture methods increasingly difficult.
The operation became even more challenging when tranquilizer darts faced technical problems in the freezing winter conditions. The cold affected the pressure chamber of the darts, forcing the team to rethink its approach.
Technology became a crucial force multiplier.
Satellite collar telemetry helped provide location information, while thermal drones offered another major advantage—allowing teams to detect the tigress’s heat signature through dense forest and darkness. Real-time geospatial monitoring helped field teams understand her movements and coordinate their responses across state boundaries.
But technology alone could not solve the problem. Every failed attempt generated new behavioural information.
“We learned how she reacted to light, noise, and human presence, and we constantly adapted our field tactics to match her intelligence,” IFS Kiran explained.
The rescue gradually became a contest of adaptation, with the field team learning from the animal they were trying to save.
Leading From the Front
For Mr Kiran, one of the biggest challenges was not merely locating Zeenath but keeping the morale of the large frontline team intact.
Around 150 personnel were involved in the prolonged operation. Freezing nights, repeated escapes and unsuccessful capture attempts began to take their toll.
Instead of directing the operation from a distance, Kiran stayed on the ground with his staff. His leadership approach was built around turning every failure into information rather than allowing frustration to weaken the team.
“Zeenath didn’t just test our tracking skills; she tested our absolute endurance. Every time she slipped through our fingers, we didn’t see a defeat – we saw a masterclass in wild tiger psychology. We constantly adapted our tactics because we simply refused to give up on her,” he said.
That persistence became one of the defining features of the mission.
The Final Capture
After weeks of tracking, the team finally identified a small forest patch in West Bengal surrounded by water, providing an opportunity to limit Zeenath’s movement.
The team designed a three-layered containment strategy involving tall nylon nets, fire lines and a dedicated human chain.
The operation had to be carried out in darkness and under difficult field conditions. Working from the bucket of an earthmover, the team made its final move.
On December 29, 2024, Zeenath was successfully and safely sedated.
The moment marked the turning point of an operation that had stretched across state borders and tested the endurance of everyone involved. What followed was another logistical challenge: transporting the tigress safely back to Similipal.
Eventually, after overcoming the operational hurdles, Zeenath was brought home.
From Rescue to Genetic Renewal
Zeenath’s return was not simply the conclusion of a difficult rescue operation. It was an important step in the larger genetic rescue strategy of Similipal.
The ultimate measure of the mission’s success came later, when Zeenath gave birth to four healthy cubs in the wild. Her successful reproduction demonstrated the potential of introducing new genetic material into the isolated Similipal tiger population.
For the conservation team, the cubs represent a future beyond the immediate rescue—the possibility of strengthening a tiger population that had survived decades of isolation.
The operation also demonstrated how contemporary forest administration is evolving. Wildlife conservation today increasingly demands a combination of scientific understanding, technology, inter-state coordination, community participation and strong field leadership.
A Model of Modern Conservation
Mr Sai Kiran D.N.’s role in the Zeenath operation illustrates that conservation is rarely about a single dramatic moment. It is built through preparation, persistence and the ability to adapt when established methods stop working.
From strengthening forest-fringe livelihoods to deploying thermal drones in pitch darkness, from monitoring satellite telemetry to coordinating a 150-member frontline force, the operation brought together seemingly different aspects of conservation into one mission.
Zeenath’s safe return and the birth of four cubs have given the genetic rescue programme a significant boost. More importantly, the mission has left behind a powerful lesson: protecting wildlife requires not only technology and institutional coordination, but also the willingness of people on the ground to keep trying when the forest refuses to give easy answers.
For IFS Kiran and his team, Zeenath was never simply an animal to be retrieved.
She was a vital link in Similipal’s genetic future—and one they simply refused to give up on.
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