Days after female tiger Zeenat, who had strayed from the Simlipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha, was rescued in West Bengal, another tiger from Odisha is believed to have crossed into Jharkhand and is now roaming near the West Bengal border.
During a visit to Ganga Sagar in South 24 Parganas district's Sagar Island on Monday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the Odisha government to send its forest officials to rescue the tiger. She stated, “I will direct the CS to inform Odisha government to get their tiger back by conducting a rescue operation here so that our people don’t suffer.”
She expressed disappointment with Odisha’s inability to manage its tigers, which she said was disrupting the lives of people in West Bengal’s border districts. She added that West Bengal would be willing to accommodate the tigers in its reserves, deep forests, or rescue centres.
Reflecting on Zeenat’s rescue, CM Banerjee said, “One tiger crossed five forests and terrified people of five districts in West Bengal. People could not come out of their homes and schools had to be shut. Our administration and forest officials worked day and night to rescue the tiger. The way the tiger was captured without any injury was a model.”
The new eloped tiger was spotted in Jharkhand’s Khunti district last week for the first time. Unlike Zeenat, it lacks a radio collar, making it harder to track. After being traced to the Balidi forest in Saraikela-Kharsawan district, its footprints were reportedly found near Dalma Hills, close to National Highway 33, on Monday. The wild cat is now suspected to be heading towards Purulia in West Bengal via the Ajodhya Pahar or Bandwan forests.
CM Banerjee clarified that the challenges faced during Zeenat’s rescue operation should not be repeated, especially since West Bengal’s forest department is already dealing with a high population of elephants in the region.
“I am not blaming the Odisha government but earnestly requesting them to send their forest officials to rescue the tiger,” she said.
