Alipurduar, July 26 -- The West Bengal Forest department has intensified preparations for the historic reintroduction of tigers in Buxa Tiger Reserve by deploying three highly trained kumki elephants from Jaldapara National Park. The move comes ahead of the scheduled translocation of a Royal Bengal tigress to the reserve on October 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti, marking the first phase of the state's tiger restoration programme.
With no trained kumki elephants currently stationed in Buxa, the Forest department has brought Sarathi, Vittala and Bharat from the Mendabari camp in Jaldapara to strengthen surveillance, patrolling and wildlife management. The trio reached the Nimati Range in the western division of Buxa Tiger Reserve on Sunday and will be shifted on Monday to a newly built modern pilkhana (elephant camp) near the Rajabhatkhawa Nature Interpretation Centre, where they will be permanently stationed.
The elephants will play a key role in monitoring the incoming tigress and enhancing security across the 760-sq km reserve. Until now, only two kumki elephants-Jonaki and Mumtaz-were engaged in patrolling operations in Buxa. The addition of the three elephants is expected to significantly strengthen field operations.
Selected from Jaldapara's herd of 85 elephants, Sarathi, Vittala and Bharat were chosen after a rigorous assessment of their training, temperament and operational capabilities. A senior Forest Department official said handling tigers demands a much higher level of discipline, courage and adaptability than managing rhinos, wild elephants or bison.
The elephants will continue to be handled by their experienced mahouts. Tapan Oraon will be in charge of Vittala, Mujibul Miah will handle Sarathi, while Narayan Rabha will look after Bharat.
State Forest minister Manoj Kumar Oraon said the three elephants were selected by senior forest officials as the most suitable team to monitor the relocated tigress.
"For now, the three best-trained kumki elephants have been brought from Jaldapara to Buxa to assist in monitoring the newly introduced tigress. Depending on future operational requirements, the number of kumki elephants in Buxa Tiger Reserve will be increased in phases," the minister said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.