Senior IAS Officer Supriya Sahu recently took to X to share the emotive story of a Tigress named Zeenat, who went amiss from Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve and became a subject of national interest as the forest departments of three states (Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal) went berserk in her pursuit.
IAS Sahu shared a post stating that Zeenat has been successfully tranquillized in Bankura before being sent to Kolkata’s Alipore Zoo for a health check-up. The graceful tigress evaded human interaction for 45 consecutive days before finally being captured on the rural outskirts of West Bengal.
Stunning tale of resilience and freedom as Zeenat, the enigmatic tigress, crossed rivers, traversed forests, and evaded pursuit over 45 days and three states. From Similipal to Bankura, her journey tested boundaries and ignited awe. I am wondering what she must be thinking ? Her… pic.twitter.com/ppkCpH7v2Q
— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) December 30, 2024
Ms. Sahu, a 1991-batch IAS officer, is presently posted as the Additional Chief Secretary in the Health Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Zeenat’s Enigmatic Adventure:
Tigress Zeenat, a three-year-old translocated to Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) from Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in November 2024, escaped STR on December 8, triggering a multi-state operation involving forest departments from Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
Initially released into Similipal’s core area after acclimatization, Zeenat ventured beyond the reserve, crossing into Jharkhand and later West Bengal. Despite being tracked via her GPS-enabled radio collar, dense forests and elusive behaviour hindered capture efforts. Her movements spanned over 120 kilometres, with sightings reported in Odisha’s Bisoi and Bangiriposi forests, Jharkhand’s Chakulia and Rajabasa regions, and West Bengal’s Purulia and Bankura districts.
Throughout her journey, Zeenat avoided human settlements but killed livestock, including a goat near Bandwan, West Bengal. Teams from all three states, supported by Sundarbans personnel, attempted multiple tranquilization efforts. Nylon nets were deployed to restrict her movement, but initial darting attempts failed.
On December 29, Zeenat was successfully tranquillized in Bankura, West Bengal. She was transported to Kolkata’s Alipore Zoo for a health check-up before her return to Similipal. Her escape raised concerns about managing translocated wildlife and highlighted the challenges of human-wildlife coexistence.
The forest departments’ coordinated efforts ensured Zeenat’s safe capture, ending her extraordinary adventure and paving the way for her return to Odisha. Further plans for her reintegration into Similipal are yet to be detailed.
