Tigress released in Bengal”s Buxa Tiger Reserve; plans afoot for three more by end of year

A tigress was released into West Bengal’s Buxa Tiger Reserve after being translocated from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve. Authorities said three more tigers will be introduced within two months under a five-year project aimed at strengthening habitats, prey availability and wildlife corridors

Kolkata: Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Friday released a tigress in the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal’s Alipurduar district with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in attendance.

Addressing the event, Adhikari said three more tigers will be released in Buxa Tiger Reserve in the next two months.

---

The tigress was brought from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve to populate the Buxa reserve with big cats.

Although the reserve did not have any big cats, camera traps have spotted a tiger, which experts believe had wandered into the region from either Bhutan or Assam’s Manas National Park.

Adhikari thanked Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary for the smooth translocation of the tigress from the Valmiki Tiger Reserve to Buxa. He also alleged that the previous Trinamool Congress government in Bengal had no inclination to save wildlife and only wanted to quarrel with the Centre.

The translocation is part of a five-year project planned for financial years 2023-24 to 2027-28, officials said.

The Proposal for Tiger Augmentation and Soft Release of Tiger in Buxa Tiger Reserve envisages not only bringing tigers to the reserve but also improving prey availability, developing suitable habitats, strengthening wildlife corridors and reducing human-wildlife conflict.