Tigress Zeenat to return to Similipal Tiger Reserve: NTCA issues Directive

New Delhi: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has directed the Chief Wildlife Warden of West Bengal to ensure the immediate translocation of a radio-collared tigress currently housed at Alipur Zoo back to Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha. The decision follows a correspondence from Odisha’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Chief Wildlife Warden, expressing concerns over the tigress’s captivity.

According to reports, the tigress is not doing well following tranquilisation.

The tigress, identified as 163_S1, originally hails from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. It was translocated to Similipal under a special initiative aimed at enhancing the genetic diversity of the tiger population in the reserve. However, the tigress had reportedly wandered into West Bengal after moving through Jharkhand, leading to its capture and subsequent placement in Alipur Zoo.

In its official communication, the NTCA emphasized the need for the tigress to be released into the wild to prevent behavioral imprinting caused by prolonged human interaction. Citing Section 38 O (2) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the NTCA urged West Bengal authorities to act in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlined by the NTCA for such translocations.

The NTCA also sought clarification on why the tigress was relocated to Alipur Zoo instead of being returned to Odisha as prescribed in the SOP. This deviation from protocol has raised questions regarding the handling of the situation, particularly given the tigress’s critical role in Similipal’s tiger conservation efforts.