Forest officials from West Bengal and Assam tranquilised the tigress near Raimona National Park to return her to Buxa Tiger Reserve.
Forest officials from West Bengal and Assam captured the tigress, Doars Rani, in the Dotma area of Assam's Kokrajhar district at approximately 5.30 pm on Tuesday. The operation involved teams using tranquiliser guns, nets, three elephants brought from Bengal, and earthmovers to secure the animal in Gilaguri.
According to The Indian Express, the three-year-old tigress had travelled over 100 km from the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal. She was originally translocated from Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve and released in Buxa on October 2 as part of a state relocation programme.
West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon said the tigress would be brought back to Buxa Tiger Reserve. He noted that officials initially allowed her to explore but intervened when she approached human settlements. Oraon added that the tigress is healthy and safe.
The tigress had strayed into Assam's Raimona National Park, crossing the Sankosh River and a road in Gosaigaon. Sonali Ghosh, chief of the forest department in Bodoland Territorial Region, stated that the tigress moved through forested landscapes before nearing settlements in Kokrajhar, making her capture essential.
The Buxa relocation initiative aims to establish a resident tiger population in the reserve. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari previously indicated that the state intends to release three additional tigers into the area within the next two months.
