Tigress Jinat, a three-year-old from Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, was released into a soft enclosure at Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on Friday. This marks the second tigress to be translocated as part of Odisha’s inter-state tiger relocation project, which aims to enhance genetic diversity within Similipal's tiger population.
The relocation of Jinat, transported to Odisha in a special vehicle, was managed by a team of wildlife experts from the Odisha forest department. This follows the successful relocation of another tigress, Jamuna, from Tadoba-Andhari earlier. Both translocations are part of a larger initiative approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
The goal of the relocation is to introduce fresh genetic diversity to Similipal’s tiger population, thereby strengthening the ecological balance. According to the 2023-24 All Odisha Tiger Estimation (AOTE) report, the state is home to 30 tigers, including eight cubs. Similipal Tiger Reserve remains the primary hub, with 24 tigers, including 13 pseudo-melanistic tigers, and eight cubs.
This successful translocation initiative is a significant step in wildlife conservation efforts in Odisha, contributing to the growth of the state’s tiger population, which has increased from 17 tigers in the 2022 All India Tiger Estimation (AITE).
