A tigress that crossed from West Bengal’s Buxa forest into Assam’s Raimona National Park is set to be rescued and returned to Buxa after the required approval is granted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, West Bengal Forest Minister of State Manoj Kumar Oraon said on Saturday.
The tigress has remained for the past two days in a bamboo grove covering around 30 to 35 hectares in Raimona. The area is close to a populated settlement, making the proposed operation sensitive for both residents and the animal. Forest officials from West Bengal and Assam are coordinating the next steps.
Oraon travelled to Assam through Kumargram on Saturday and met senior forest officials responsible for Raimona. He said West Bengal had sent the necessary letter seeking permission for the rescue, while the Assam government had also written to the NTCA. The matter has been conveyed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, according to the minister.
“The tigress is in a bamboo grove of around 30 to 35 hectares, and there is a settlement nearby, so the area is quite sensitive,” Oraon said, according to Anandabazar. He added that the animal had remained in the same area for two days and that the forest department hoped to begin the rescue within a day or two if approval and an operational window were secured.
The tigress was released in Buxa forest on 2 October, after which forest personnel monitored her movements. A recent change in her movement pattern indicated that she had crossed the state boundary and entered Raimona. West Bengal then sent a team of officials experienced in tiger-related operations from North Bengal to Assam, while surveillance in the area was intensified.
Officials have prepared for more than one method of capture. The minister said the team would decide between tranquilising the tigress and using a net based on conditions at the site. He said the animal had travelled approximately 100 kilometres from the location where it was released and had gradually moved closer to human habitation.
According to Oraon, the tigress had avoided settlements for the previous eight to ten days. The approaching Diwali period has added urgency to the operation because firecracker noise could increase the risk of an encounter between the animal and nearby residents. Senior forest officials from West Bengal and Assam therefore decided to pursue the tigress’s rescue and rapid rehabilitation in Buxa, the minister said.
The operation remains subject to approval from the NTCA and coordination between the two state governments. Once permission is received, the forest department intends to carry out the rescue at the site in Raimona and transport the tigress back to Buxa.
