Baripada, Nov 9: Royal Bengal Tigress- Jamuna, who was brought from Maharashtra last month, was released into the wild from its soft enclosure at Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha on Saturday, officials said.

In a social media post, Odisha's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Susanta Nanda, shared some pictures and video of the tigress being released into the wild.

“Jamuna-the tigress brought from TATR is released to the wild from its soft enclosure… For the first time we have a tiger supplementation anywhere in the world to enhance the gene pool of tigers. Wishing the program succeeds,” he posted on X.

The two-and-a-half-year-old tigress, named Jamuna, was kept in a soft enclosure in the STR since it was brought from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra on October 27.

 The wild cat was brought to STR under a translocation project to curb inbreeding and improve the gene pool of tigers inside the reserve, where 50 per cent are melanistic.

At present, Odisha has 30 tigers, of which 27 tigers are found in STR. Similipal has a robust prey density, which can sustain the tiger population. 

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