Kolkata’s New Town Zoo is preparing to receive its first tiger between April and May 2027, with the animal likely to be transferred from Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri after the required permissions are secured from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA).
West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon announced the proposed timeline during a visit to the zoo on Friday, when he also named the facility’s newborn giraffe calf Titli. “The tiger will come sometime between April and May next year. The enclosure has already been constructed and the process has begun,” Oraon said.
The minister said one tiger would be brought to the New Town facility in the first phase. “For now, let it be one. We will see later,” he said. A senior forester said the transfer from Bengal Safari Park would depend on the necessary CZA permissions.
The zoo is completing a dedicated enclosure before the animal is introduced. More than 70 per cent of the enclosure will remain open, with a cave-like structure at one end. The tiger will be able to move across a paddock behind an iron fence, while visitors will be separated from the animal by a toughened glass partition. The gap between the glass wall and the iron fencing will be about 1.5 feet.
The top of the fencing will be electrically energised as an additional safety measure. Officials said this is intended to prevent visitors from climbing into the enclosure and the tiger from jumping out. A senior Forest Department official and the zoo manager said the entire area would undergo a detailed safety inspection before the animal was 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 remained after the enclosure was built. 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 kept in quarantine so it can acclimatise to the 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 enclosure but felt the zoo required more space. “I liked the zoo. It needs a little more space; it would be better if it were slightly larger. We are trying to see whether it can be further developed. I will speak to HIDCO and see if they can provide some additional space,” he said.
The minister’s visit also marked the naming of the zoo’s 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 the New Town Zoo from Alipore Zoo in 2022, while the name Titli was suggested by the giraffe handlers.
The tiger’s arrival will proceed after the enclosure’s final safety checks, quarantine arrangements and the required permissions from the Central Zoo Authority are completed.
