3 days ago
Tigress Zeenat Settles Safely in Similipal After Wandering
Zeenat is a tigress living in Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha.
She was brought there from another tiger reserve in Maharashtra in November 2024.
She escaped and traveled through forests in several states.
Officials captured her again in West Bengal in December 2024.
They then released her back into Similipal.
Zeenat has now made a territory there and had four cubs.
Because she appears settled, officials may remove her radio collar after the monsoon.
Another tigress named Jamuna still has a radio collar so officials can track her movements.
Tigress Zeenat was translocated from Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve to Odisha in November 2024.
After escaping, she roamed through forests in Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand before being recaptured in Bankura in December 2024.
Zeenat was released again in Similipal and has since established a territory there.
The tigress gave birth to four cubs and was found to be well settled in the reserve.
Authorities are considering remotely removing her radio collar after the monsoon, while tigress Jamuna remains under monitoring.
- Who
- Tigress Zeenat, Similipal Tiger Reserve authorities and field director Prakash Chand Gogineni; tigress Jamuna is also being monitored.
- What
- Authorities are considering removing Zeenat’s radio collar after finding that she has settled in Similipal and established a territory.
- Where
- Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha; she previously traveled through forests in Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand.
- When
- Zeenat was translocated in November 2024, recaptured in December 2024, and may have her collar removed after the monsoon.
- Why
- Officials believe Zeenat is settled and her movements may no longer require continuous radio-collar tracking.
Key facts
- Tigress
- Zeenat
- Current location
- Similipal Tiger Reserve, Mayurbhanj district, Odisha
- Translocation
- Moved from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve to Odisha in November 2024
- Recapture
- Last captured in Bankura district, West Bengal, in December 2024
- Cubs
- Four
- Possible collar removal
- After the monsoon, using remote removal technology
- Other monitored tigress
- Jamuna, also translocated from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, remains radio-collared
Quotes
Prakash Chand Gogineni
Field director of the Similipal Tiger Reserve
“The tigress was last captured from West Bengal’s Bankura district in December 2024 and subsequently was released in Similipal. The animal gave birth to four cubs and was found well-settled in Similipal.”
thehansindia.com
“Zeenat has successfully established her territory in Similipal forest. We are now contemplating removing the radio collar fitted on the big cat’s neck after monsoon”
thehansindia.com










