Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: West Bengal officials are scrambling to bring home a three-year-old tigress. The big cat walked out of Buxa Tiger Reserve and crossed the Sankosh River into Assam's Raimona National Park on October 23. Forest Minister Manoj Oraon confirmed the state's plan on October 30. He intends to travel to the site personally to manage the retrieval.
The tigress arrived in Buxa from Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve on October 2. Her release happened alongside Union Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The move aimed to jumpstart the resident tiger population in the Alipurduar district, which sat empty for nearly a decade before a 2021 sighting. Another tiger showed up in January 2026.
Officials tracked the cat using her radio collar. Oraon says they refuse to use heavy-handed tactics that might injure the animal. "The tigress was tracked through its radio collar today. Efforts are underway to bring it back. I will go there soon to coordinate the operation," Oraon told reporters. He added, "We won't do anything that will harm it physically. We are exploring all means to facilitate its smooth, safe return."
The animal likely wandered off to find new territory. Buxa has been part of a massive revival project involving the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India. The park serves as a bridge between forests in Assam and Bhutan. This trek proves that wildlife still uses the corridor to cross state lines.
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