Baripada, Oct 4: An eight-month-old female tiger cub rescued from Kaparkhai village under the Thakurmunda range of Karanjia Forest Division has been released into the core area of Similipal Tiger Reserve for acclimatisation, the Forest Department said on Sunday.
The cub was rescued on September 25 and kept at the Thakurmunda range office campus, where it received veterinary care, regular feeding and nutritional supplements for seven days.
According to the Forest Department, the cub’s health improved significantly during the treatment period, and it became increasingly active.
Blood and faecal samples collected from the animal were examined at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT). The test results confirmed that the cub was free from any disease or infection.
Following a health assessment, the cub was transported to Similipal on October 2 and released at around 9 pm into the Jamuna enclosure in the reserve’s core area for acclimatisation.
Forest officials said the female cub is active and moving around inside the enclosure.
A final decision on releasing the tiger into the wild will be taken after assessing its progress during the rewilding process, the department said.
