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Tiger Return: Bureaucracy Over Ecology?
3 Oct
Summary
- A tigress was relocated to Buxa, West Bengal, after no tigers were found there.
- Habitat degradation and human-wildlife conflict threaten the reintroduced tigers.
- Critics argue the program prioritizes technical capability over community involvement.
A royal Bengal tigress, caught in Bihar, has been released into West Bengal's Buxa reserve as part of a reintroduction program. This initiative follows the 2018 discovery of no tigers in several reserves, including Buxa. The program, a collaboration between the Bengal Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India, aims to reintroduce seven tigers over two years.
However, Buxa reserve faces considerable ecological hurdles. Its landscape is fragmented by settlements, tea estates, and a railway line, impacting wildlife corridors. The dense forest canopy has led to a decline in natural prey, forcing tigers to rely on livestock. Efforts have been made to address this, including reintroducing prey species and opening up canopies.
The reintroduction program has drawn criticism for being reactive, initiated only after tiger populations crashed. This approach is seen as more expensive and less effective than earlier preventive conservation methods. Concerns are also raised about the program's reliance on an 'inviolate' core habitat, which has historically overridden the rights of local communities.
For the program to succeed, introduced tigers must establish territories, breed, and survive, with natural immigration ensuring genetic diversity. A more holistic approach would involve proactive monitoring of ecological degradation and deeper community involvement in conflict prevention and livelihood protection.
