Baripada: An eight-month-old tigress cub rescued from Khaparakhai village in Mayurbhanj district has been shifted to the Jamuna enclosure in the core area of Similipal Tiger Reserve after recovering from illness, forest officials said.
The cub was released into the enclosure at around 9pm October 2 after undergoing seven days of treatment and nutritional care at the Thakurmunda forest range office.
The tigress was rescued from Khaparakhai village under the Thakurmunda range of Karanjia Forest Division September 26 and was initially kept at the range office under the care of veterinary personnel.
During the seven-day treatment period, it was provided with the required food, nutrients and supplements.
Its health condition subsequently improved and the cub became more active. Blood and faecal samples were collected and tested at the Odisha Veterinary College (OVC), under the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, to assess the cub’s health condition.
The test reports confirmed that the cub had no disease or infection, officials said. Following the medical assessment, the cub was shifted to the core area of Similipal and released into the Jamuna enclosure.
It is currently active and moving around inside the enclosure.
The enclosure will help the cub adapt to a natural environment and prepare for life in the wild as part of its rewilding process.
Dr Prakash Chand Gogineni, field director of Similipal Tiger Reserve and regional chief conservator of forests, said a decision on releasing the tigress into the wild would be taken after assessing the progress of its rewilding.
The cub’s behaviour, adaptation and ability to cope with conditions similar to those in the wild will be monitored before any decision is taken on its release into the forest.