Tiger rescued in historic operation, to be released in Palamau reserve

In a first-of-its-kind operation in Jharkhand, a male tiger was successfully rescued alive from a human settlement and is set to be released back into the wild at the Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR).

The joint operation was carried out by the Palamau Tiger Reserve and the Ranchi Forest Division under the supervision of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden of Jharkhand, Shri Paritosh Upadhyay.

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The rescue took place at Mardu village in Silli block of Ranchi district, where the tiger had entered a residential home. The tiger was safely captured in a cage and later tranquilized to facilitate transport.

The operation was led by SR Natesha, CCF Wildlife and Field Director of PTR, and included key officials such as Srikanth, DFO Ranchi; Awanish, DFO Wildlife; Dr Jabbar, a retired veterinary expert; along with representatives from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), an NGO, the village Mukhiya, and others.

PTR Deputy Directors Ashish and Prajeshkant Jena, along with reserve staff, played a central role in coordinating the rescue logistics. According to PTR’s Deputy Director Prajeshkant Jena, the tiger will be brought to the soft release centre at Palamau, where its health will be monitored. A decision on its release into the reserve’s core area will follow.

Preliminary assessments indicate the tiger originally belongs to the Palamau Tiger Reserve. The animal had activated a corridor spanning over 800 kilometres, traversing forest zones across Jharkhand and West Bengal.

For several months, the tiger had made its way across the Jharkhand-Bengal border, reportedly frequenting areas near Jamshedpur and Purulia. It later moved into the Khunti region and eventually entered a home in Silli, triggering the rescue.

Forest officials noted that the tiger demonstrated advanced survival instincts, using a decades-old corridor between Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh and Palamau Tiger Reserve. The animal’s movement had gone largely undetected in camera traps until its entry into human habitation brought it into view.

With preparations underway at PTR for its arrival, forest staff are also readying the potential release site. The incident marks a significant milestone for Jharkhand’s wildlife conservation efforts and reaffirms the ecological relevance of the old central Indian tiger corridors.