Steering panel to decide Zeenat's re-release date

THE exact date of tigress Zeenat's re-release in the core area of Similpal Tiger Reserve (STR) and the associated protocol will be decided by the steering committee of the wildlife wing, forest officials said on Friday.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Bhubaneswar

After its shifting to STR from West Bengal, the three-year-old tigress has been kept in an enclosure in Jenabil range of Similipal south division for a brief period.

"Our officials and wildlife experts are continuously studying its behaviour. They also in touch with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and will decide a suitable date for its release in the wild. It may take a little time," said Forest and Environment minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia.