Bengal tigress Jamuna released into Similipal Tiger Reserve

Bhubaneswar, Nov 9: Jamuna, a Bengal tigress relocated from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra, was released into the wild from a soft enclosure at Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, on Saturday.

Susanta Nanda, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), shared photos and videos of the release on his X handle, highlighting that this marks the first-ever tiger supplementation project aimed at improving the tiger gene pool.

The 2.5-year-old tigress was brought to STR on October 27 after a 36-hour journey covering over 1,000 kilometers. She was placed in a soft enclosure in the reserve's core area. This translocation initiative is part of an effort to prevent inbreeding and enhance the genetic diversity of tigers within Similipal, where nearly 50% of the tiger population is melanistic. Out of the 24 tigers in the reserve, 13 are pseudo-melanistic due to inbreeding, which could negatively impact the future of the normal yellow-coated Bengal tiger population.

Additionally, the Forest Department has begun preparations to relocate another Bengal tigress from TATR. A 10-member team is already at TATR and expects to transport the second tigress to Similipal within the next week. STR has also formed four special teams and set up 100 AI-integrated cameras to monitor and protect the tigers under the supplementation programme.