Alipurduar, Sept. 13 -- The Forest department has finalised October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, for bringing a tigress to Buxa Tiger Reserve from Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve, marking a major step towards restoring the big cat population in Buxa.
Forest minister Manoj Kumar Oraon said: "Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav would be present on October 2. The tigress will initially be released with a radio collar into a secure 2.2-hectare enclosure and kept under strict surveillance."
The Tiger Conservation Authority has formed three special teams, each comprising five wildlife experts from Buxa Tiger Reserve, the Sundarbans and the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. The teams will leave for Valmiki on September 14 to oversee the selection and transportation of the tigress.
Initially, 12 tigresses were shortlisted. Following the final screening, three recently adult tigresses have been selected. One will be chosen after a detailed assessment of her health and other scientific parameters. The selected tigress will be tranquilised and transported to Buxa in a wildlife ambulance.
A special transport cage has already been brought to Buxa from Indore. Two ambulances will travel to Valmiki Tiger Reserve in South Champaran district to bring the tigress back. Scheduled breaks will be taken during the journey to monitor her health and help her recover from travel fatigue. A senior Forest department official said the final selection would be made only after a thorough scientific assessment, which is why the expert teams are travelling to Valmiki well in advance.
Officials said tigers have been spotted entering Buxa from Bhutan and Assam's Manas region during recent winters. They believe the presence of a tigress could attract a male tiger from across the border and encourage it to establish a territory in Buxa, paving the way for breeding.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.