Three-year-old tigress captured in Assam's Kokrajhar after cross-border operation
Joint forest teams from West Bengal and Assam successfully cornered the tigress at Gelaguri Gaon following several attempts to evade capture.
Joint forest teams from West Bengal and Assam captured a three-year-old tigress, known as 'Dooars Rani', at Gelaguri Gaon in Kokrajhar on Tuesday, according to The Assam Tribune.
The tigress had travelled nearly 100 km from West Bengal’s Buxa Tiger Reserve into Assam. She crossed the Sankosh river on October 23 and entered Raimona National Park.
West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Oraon said the teams used four elephants and several excavators to surround the tigress. He noted that she repeatedly outwitted the teams during a two-hour search before officers finally cornered her.
The tigress was first spotted near Hatigarh village, where forest officials said she killed three domesticated pigs and four piglets. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had cleared the capture plan before the operation intensified on Tuesday.
The Kokrajhar district administration declared a five-kilometre radius around Gelaguri village a prohibited zone to protect human life and livestock. Oraon expressed gratitude to the Assam administration and public for their cooperation during the search.
The tigress was originally brought from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve and released into Buxa Tiger Reserve on October 2 by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.