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The translocation effort aimed astatine enhancing the familial diverseness of tigers successful Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve has received a large boost, with tigress Zeenat, brought from Maharashtra, giving commencement to 4 cubs. Photographs of Zeenat mildly carrying her cubs successful her rima wrong the reserve person since gone viral.
“Today, a arrogant section has been added to Odisha’s earthy resources and wildlife conservation efforts. Tigress Zeenat, relocated from Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, has fixed commencement to 4 cubs successful the conducive situation of Similipal,” Chief Minister Mohan Majhi announced connected X connected Tuesday (June 2, 2026).
“This occurrence not lone signifies an summation successful the tiger colonisation successful the State but besides stands arsenic an fantabulous testament to our administrative foresight successful protecting biodiversity and creating a harmless and robust situation for wildlife,” said Mr. Majhi.
Odisha Chief Minister further said, “Special measures person been taken by the Forest Department to guarantee the information of the parent and cubs, and their movements are being continuously monitored. Thanks to the dedicated vigil and effectual conservation policies of our wood staff, Odisha has contiguous established itself arsenic a unafraid sanctuary for wildlife.”
“Our authorities remains afloat committed to preserving the ecological equilibrium of Similipal intact and strengthening the State’s wildlife conservation initiatives successful the days ahead,” helium asserted.
After her translocation from Maharashtra successful 2025, Zeenat had a troubled signifier past year. Following 10 days of acclimatisation successful the halfway country of Similipal, the tigress, portion attempting to found her territory, strayed into Jharkhand and past West Bengal successful the archetypal week of December, putting the wood departments of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal connected alert.
The tigress was tranquilised and captured successful West Bengal connected December 29, 2025. After a aesculapian examination, the tigress was brought backmost to Similipal connected the directions of the National Tiger Conservation Authority. Subsequently, a peculiar enclosure was created successful confederate Similipal, portion wood section officials kept a strict vigil connected Zeenat.
A sizeable fig of tigers successful Similipal displays pseudo-melanism, characterised by achromatic stripes overmuch much pronounced than the emblematic colouration of a Royal Bengal Tiger. It is mostly owed to the effect of inbreeding. Under NTCA supervision, Zeenat and different tiger, Jamuna, were released into the Similipal to amended familial diversity.
According to the Similipal Tiger Reserve authorities, Zeenat was released into a brushed enclosure created for Jamuna successful the confederate division. The confederate portion covers a large information of Simlipal’s halfway country and has denser wood screen and nary anthropogenic pressure. The tigress would stay nether observation, and successful the process, she would proceed acclimatising earlier being released into the wild, the authorities said.
The Odisha authorities had earlier planned to bring six pairs of tigers from different States to Similipal. Zeenat giving commencement to 4 cubs assumes important value for the State Forest department, particularly aft an earlier experimentation to present tigers successful Satkosia Tiger Reserve had failed. A tiger brought from Madhya Pradesh and released into Satkosia died aft falling into a poacher’s trap, portion different was sent backmost to Madhya Pradesh aft facing hostility from radical wrong Satkosia Reserve Forest.
