Guwahati, Oct. 31 -- A tigress released in Buxa Tiger Reserve earlier this month has crossed into Assam, prompting the West Bengal government to prepare for its return.

Forest Minister Manoj Oraon is scheduled to visit Raimona National Park in Assam's Kokrajhar district on October 31, Saturday, to assess the animal's condition and decide how it can be brought back.

Identified as BTR-TF-1 (T-138), the three-year-old tigress was relocated from Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve and released in Buxa on October 2. The move was part of West Bengal's first tiger relocation project. On October 25, it crossed into Assam while looking for a suitable habitat.

Before the minister's visit, forest personnel from the two states have been coordinating to ...