Relocated tigress suffers injuries and miscarriage following transfer mishaps in Bengal

A young tigress relocated from Bihar to West Bengal suffered multiple injuries and a miscarriage after being released into the wild before she could recover. Records show the three-year-old animal sustained abrasions on her paw pads and nose, a chipped lower canine, and worn foreclaws during a prolonged road and air transfer from Valmiki Tiger Reserve to Buxa Tiger Reserve on September 29 and 30.

Recapture and Loss

The tigress crossed into Assam on October 23 before being recaptured on November 3 near Gelaguri village. Officials used four trained elephants and several excavators to surround the animal. The tigress aborted three two-month-old foetuses following her sedation and recapture. Wildlife Institute of India Director Dr G S Bhardwaj noted that a combination of anesthesia, transportation, and stress likely contributed to the premature birth, while adding that young tigresses can give premature birth during a first pregnancy. National Tiger Conservation Authority chief Sanjay Kumar stated that the incident has come to their notice and will be looked into.

Enclosure Failure

Following her return to Buxa, the forest department placed the tigress in a repurposed holding pen built for deer because they were short of time and funds. Expert committee chair Rajesh Gopal stated on October 15 that she should have been kept in a proper enclosure until recovery. The NTCA wrote to the state forest department on November 5 seeking an urgent veterinary report. Before that report arrived, the tigress dug her way out of the enclosure on November 8. West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Oraon stated she created a gap big enough for a dog to pass through, while department sources noted the pen lacked the reinforced concrete base used in tiger enclosures. The tigress is currently moving inside the Buxa reserve.

Context

Tiger relocations are complex conservation exercises managed jointly by state forest departments and central bodies like the National Tiger Conservation Authority to revive wild populations in reserves where big cats have disappeared. Animals moving long distances often face high stress levels, requiring careful quarantine and medical monitoring in secure facilities before they are let loose into a new habitat.