Zeenat will suffer in captivity, NTCA tells West Bengal forest dept officials

Kolkata, Jan 1 The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is livid with the West Bengal forest department for making Zeenat -- the three-year-old tigress from Simlipal Tiger Reserve -- spend yet another night in confinement at the Alipore Zoological Garden in Kolkata.

Zeenat's nearly 300 km journey, stretching over 21 days, from Simlipal in Odisha to the Bankura district of West Bengal ended on Sunday evening after she could be finally tranquilised and caged.

"Senior officers and foresters from the Odisha Forest Department were part of the team that undertook the operations to capture Zeenat. Even the cage into which she was transferred after the tranquiliser took effect belongs to the Simlipal Tiger Reserve. What made the forest officials of West Bengal take the tigress all the way to Kolkata? Ideally, she should have been taken to Simlipal where necessary medical tests could have been completed by now. She would have been released into the forest by Friday if the vets declared fit for her. This movement to Kolkata has delayed the process," a senior NTCA official said.

The NTCA has sought an official response from the West Bengal Forest Department on this matter. The country's apex body on tiger conservation has maintained that a wild tiger or tigress should be kept in captivity for as short a time as possible if diagnosed to be fit. Captivity causes severe mental stress to the big cats that have home ranges stretching over 100 square km.

"The West Bengal Forest Department made the tigress travel in captivity for over 300 km in the wrong direction. Now, she will have to travel back in captivity for over 350 km to Simlipal, undergo medical checks once again and then be released into the wild. Ideally, she should have been taken to Simlipal from the spot where she was captured. She may have been released by now. This was an irresponsible act that can have severe health effects on the animal," the official added.

Even the Odisha Forest Department has written to the Chief Wildlife Warden of West Bengal, seeking immediate handover of the tigress. The West Bengal Forest Department has said that it is awaiting instructions from higher-ups.

The official said that it is improper to shift a wild animal to an urban location, unless in an extreme condition, where it may require advanced surgery or other treatment. The air quality and noise has a negative impact on the animal. It being the year's end, Zeenat will certainly suffer from foul air and noise pollution as firecrackers will be burst in Kolkata and the Alipore Zoological Gardens is in the heart of the city.

Source: IANS