Tigress Zeenat reached Ranibandh in West Bengal's Bankura district on Saturday. Forest officials are ready to capture her and adequate measure are being taken to ensure she does not reach the human settlements. Zeenat escaped from the Similipal Reserve in Odisha 17 days ago. Chief Wildlife Warden Debal Roy said the tigress reached Gopalpur jungle in Ranibandh from Manbazar in Purulia district.
Tigress Zeenat will be trapped soon
As per the official statement, forest personnel from West Bengal's Sunderban and Jhargram, and Odisha are ready with tranquiliser guns and cages to capture her. "She is now some distance away from the Gosaidihi village in Ranibandh. The locality has been surrounded by nylon nets.
The waiting game continues but she will be trapped soon," Roy added.
She is been tracked through her radio collar and tranquiliser shots had been fired targeting her but were missed.
"However, since visibility is poor in the jungle due to the prevalence of misty conditions, forest personnel cannot directly go near her. It is yet to be verified whether she has been hit," said the official.
Zeenat travelled 15 kms
Zeenat travelled about 15 km to seek refuge in a forest in Manbazar block on December 27 from Bandwan where she was holed up between December 24 and 26. She has been in West Bengal for nearly a week after crossing over from Jharkhand.
Drones are set up to track her movement but dense forests are hampering the surveillance.
The tigress has covered over 120 km, roaming the forests at the tri-junction of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha, in search of new territory after leaving Similipal. She has shown no signs of returning to Similipal so far, officials added.
Zeenat was brought to Similipal from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra last month with the goal of introducing a new gene pool to the tiger population.
Nylon fence to stop Zeenat
West Bengal forest department has put up a nylon fence along a one-square-kilometre area on the edge of Bandwan forest range in Purulia district. . "We have put a nylon net over a one-square-kilometre-area to prevent the tiger from entering nearby human settlements and informed local villagers about its presence at the current location for their safety," Chief conservator of forests S Kulandaivel said.
"The tigress has moved a short distance in the past two days, and its movement is constantly being tracked with the help of a radio collar. Three tranquilising teams have been placed at strategic locations, while three live baits (goats) have been placed along the possible path of the animal," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
