Home / Environment / Bihar Tigress Lands in Bengal to Revive Buxa Reserve
Bihar Tigress Lands in Bengal to Revive Buxa Reserve
30 Sep
Summary
- A tigress was flown from Bihar to West Bengal for tiger reintroduction.
- Buxa Tiger Reserve had no tigers recorded in an 8-year-old report.
- Efforts to restore the prey base took eight years to culminate.
West Bengal's Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) is set to welcome tigers once again, an initiative that has been in the making for eight years. On Wednesday, a three-year-old tigress was successfully transported from Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve to BTR. This marks the first tiger reintroduction in the eastern state, with plans to release the big cat on October 2.
The "Status of Tigers in India - 2018" report by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had previously noted the absence of tigers in Buxa. The current reintroduction is the culmination of extensive conservation efforts, including the restoration of the prey base. Over the years, around 870 chital deer were released into BTR to support tiger repopulation.
Conservationists worked to improve the forest's health, including enhancing grasslands and managing forest cover to support herbivores. In December 2021, a tiger was spotted in BTR, indicating a potential return after more than two decades. The newly arrived tigress has been fitted with a radio collar for monitoring, and discussions are underway to bring at least six more tigers to BTR in the coming two years.
