Bhubaneswar: Tigress Zeenat, brought from Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve under the big cat supplementation project, is pregnant, officials of the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) confirmed on Wednesday.

Zeenat, who has been staying mostly inside the core areas of Similipal since her release, is in her fifth month of pregnancy. She is regularly preying on wild animals such as sambar, chital and wild pigs, and is reported to be in good health.

The tigress is being monitored round-the-clock through satellite tracking and dedicated forest teams. In addition, camera traps set up in the core area are capturing her movement and providing valuable updates about her health condition.

Notably, Zeenat had hit headlines in December last year after she strayed out of Similipal, moving across three states, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal, for 23 days. She was finally recaptured in the Bankura district of West Bengal and brought back to Similipal on January 1 this year.

Forest officials expressed optimism over Zeenat’s pregnancy.