Nets and tranquiliser guns deployed to capture tigress in Assam
Forest teams from Bengal and Assam will begin an operation on Tuesday to capture the tigress known as Dooars Rani.
Forest teams from Bengal and Assam are prepared to begin an operation on Tuesday to capture a tigress named Dooars Rani, according to The Indian Express. The tigress travelled nearly 100 km from the Buxa Tiger Reserve into Assam and has moved close to human settlements.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has cleared the operation, which involves teams equipped with nets, tranquiliser guns, and three earthmovers. The tigress was originally moved from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve to Buxa as part of Bengal’s first tiger relocation project.
Forest Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon said the tigress entered Assam 10 days ago and the decision to bring her back was made after she approached human habitation. He stated that the area where the tigress is located has been enclosed with nets, though one section remains open for people to move through.
Forest department sources reported that the tigress is currently near Barsijhora village, close to Dotma town in Kokrajhar district. She was previously located near Narayanpur village in the Gossaigaon subdivision. After entering Assam, she was first spotted near Hatigarh village, where she killed three domesticated pigs and four piglets.
The tigress, also known as T-138, was released into the wild from a soft-release enclosure on October 2 by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The relocation aimed to revive the tiger population in the Buxa Tiger Reserve following habitat degradation and declining prey availability.
Minister Oraon said the capture operation could not start on Monday because it had become dark. He said he would visit the area on Tuesday to oversee the process.