Tigress from Buxa Tiger Reserve tranquilised near Assam's Raimona National Park
Forest teams from West Bengal and Assam captured the Royal Bengal tigress near Dotma town after it travelled over 100 km.
A Royal Bengal tigress that strayed from West Bengal's Buxa Tiger Reserve was tranquilised on Tuesday near Raimona National Park in Assam's Bodoland Territorial Region, according to the Deccan Herald.
Forest personnel from West Bengal and Assam used elephants and earthmovers to capture the animal near a village close to Dotma town in Kokrajhar district around 5.30 pm.
The tigress was originally translocated from Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve and released in Buxa on October 2. She strayed from the reserve on October 23 and travelled over 100 km.
Sonali Ghosh, chief of the forest department in Bodoland Territorial Region, said the tigress moved through forested landscapes before nearing settlements at Kokrajhar. Ghosh stated that her safe capture and return was essential.
The animal's movements were being monitored using a radio collar installed by Bengal forest personnel. West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Oraon said the tigress was in good health and the department had initially allowed it to move freely, expecting it to return through the Raimona or Bhutan forest corridor.
Oraon added that authorities decided to launch the rescue operation as the animal moved closer to human habitations over the last two to three days. The department has obtained clearance from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for the operation.