Tigress released in Buxa Tiger Reserve rescued in Assam
Forest officials used tranquiliser darts and heavy machinery to secure the animal after it moved towards human settlements.
A tigress released in the Buxa Tiger Reserve on October 2 was tranquilised and rescued in Assam on Tuesday, according to Urban Acres. The animal was located in a forest near Datma, which borders the Kokrajhar district, after moving toward inhabited areas.
The rescue involved a three-hour operation using five JCB machines, three trained elephants, and forest officials. Officials had been monitoring the tigress for eight to 10 days but initially allowed her to move naturally before deciding to capture her as she approached populated zones.
West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Oraon said the Assam government informed his department that the animal was secured and would be returned to Buxa. Oraon noted that the tigress had moved out of the Raimona forest landscape in Assam.
The minister stated that the West Bengal Forest Department obtained permission from the Central government before the operation. He thanked the Assam chief minister, local administration, and residents for their cooperation during the effort.
The tigress was originally brought from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve to help rebuild the tiger population in Buxa. She was released on October 2 in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari and Union Environment and Forest Minister Bhupendra Yadav.
The Forest Department's current priority is to return the tigress safely to her natural habitat within the Buxa Tiger Reserve.