New Tigress Arrives at Buxa Reserve as Officials Plan More Releases

UPDATE - follow-up to Tigress released in Bengal's Buxa Tiger Reserve; plans afoot for three more by end of year: Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav released a three-year-old tigress named T138 into the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal's Alipurduar district, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari present at the event. The big cat was brought from Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve to help build up the big cat population in Buxa.

Future Plans

Chief Minister Adhikari stated that three additional tigers will be released into the Buxa reserve over the next two months. West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Oraon called the movement a vital move to boost tiger numbers in the area. The transfer forms part of a five-year project mapped out for the financial years between 2023-24 and 2027-28.

Background and Context

While Buxa did not have its own resident big cats, camera traps previously captured an animal that experts think wandered in from Bhutan or Assam's Manas National Park. The broader plan involves not just bringing in new tigers, but also building up prey numbers, improving natural habitats, making wildlife corridors stronger, and cutting down on conflicts between humans and wildlife.