New Town Zoo in Kolkata is expected to receive its first tiger between April and May next year, with the animal likely to be transferred from Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri after the required permissions are secured from the Central Zoo Authority.
West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon announced the proposed transfer during a visit to the zoo on Friday. He said the facility’s tiger enclosure had already been constructed and that the process of bringing the animal to New Town had begun. Only one tiger is planned in the first phase, he said.
A senior forester said the transfer would depend on the necessary approval from the Central Zoo Authority. The zoo is now completing final work on the dedicated enclosure before the animal is introduced to the facility.
The enclosure has more than 70 per cent open space and includes a cave-like structure at one end. The tiger will be able to move freely within the paddock, while visitors will be separated from the animal by an iron fence and a toughened glass partition. The glass wall will be positioned about 1.5 feet from the fencing.
The top of the fencing will be electrically energised as an additional safety measure. Officials said the arrangement is intended to prevent visitors from climbing into the enclosure and to reduce the risk of the tiger jumping out. A detailed safety inspection will be carried out before the animal is moved into the paddock.
The inspection will include scanning the ground with large electromagnets to locate and remove residual metal objects such as iron nails, spikes and other construction material that may have been left behind. The zoo manager said the paddock would combine small patches of vegetation with open spaces to resemble a tiger’s natural habitat.
Once the tiger arrives, it will initially be placed in quarantine so it can acclimatise to its new surroundings. Veterinary personnel will monitor the animal during this period before it is released into the paddock.
Oraon said he was satisfied with the facility but believed the zoo would benefit from additional land. He said he would speak to the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation, or HIDCO, about whether more space could be provided for further development of the New Town zoo.
During the visit, the minister also named the zoo’s newborn giraffe calf Titli. The calf was born on July 28 to Ramu and Sonia, the zoo’s resident male and female giraffes. The pair arrived at New Town Zoo from Alipore Zoo in 2022, while the name Titli was suggested by the giraffe handlers.
The next stated milestones are completion of the enclosure’s safety checks, approval from the Central Zoo Authority, transfer of the tiger from Bengal Safari Park and its quarantine under veterinary supervision.
