Nilgiri: Fear gripped the forest-fringe villages here Tuesday after reports of tigress Jamuna straying into the Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary in Balasore district – from Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj district – surfaced Monday. The development has created panic, especially in areas including Mankadapada, Tangana, Jharanaghati, Jamuna, Betakata, and Rishia. While the villagers are fearful of their safety, local leaders have expressed concerns over the Forest department’s lack of transparency in disclosing the whereabouts of the wandering big cat. They said withholding information about the location of the tigress would cause further harm to the residents. Jamuna, the Royal Bengal tigress, relocated from a tiger reserve in Maharashtra was released into the dense STR November 9.
The tigress reportedly strayed into the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in Balasore district. Jamuna is believed to have crossed from Similipal’s Kaptipada range through the hilly Sukhua Pata region before entering Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary. After being released into the southern division of STR, Jamuna initially explored the forested hills to establish her territory.
However, her movement near the forest fringes sparked speculation as she made efforts to adapt to the new habitat. Meanwhile, following reports of her presence in Kuldiha, Forest officials and staff have intensified patrolling in the sanctuary. Two days ago, Balasore Divisional Forest Officer Khuswant Singh, along with STR staff, conducted inspections in the area.
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Additionally, the connecting route from Juriatota under Kuldiha Sanctuary has been sealed, and tourists have been barred from visiting the region. Subrata Behera, in charge of Kuldiha range, stated that the route closure was implemented to safeguard deer relocated from Nandankanan Zoo. However, he refrained from disclosing any information about the tigress. Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, spread over 272.75 square kilometers of hilly forests, is home to elephants, leopards, bears, sambhars, deer, pangolins, nilgai, and other wildlife species.
