📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Vulpes-bengalensis
National
Buxa Tiger Reserve tigress to be relocated from Assam over human‑habitat proximity
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 31 Oct 2026, 07:16 PM
👁 13
Authorities plan to move the Buxa tigress currently in Assam back to its native reserve after it was found near human settlements.
The Forest Department of West Bengal has announced that the lone tigress from Buxa Tiger Reserve, which was spotted in Assam, will be captured and returned to its original habitat. Officials say the animal’s proximity to villages and farms in the Assam district raised concerns about potential human‑wildlife conflict.
A specialised capture team, comprising forest officials and wildlife experts, is being deployed to conduct the operation. The team will use tranquiliser darts and transport the tigress in a secure crate to Buxa, where it will be monitored before release into a suitable area of the reserve.
The relocation is slated to begin within the next week, pending weather clearance. Conservationists have welcomed the move, noting that keeping the tigress away from human habitations reduces the risk of retaliatory killings and helps maintain the genetic diversity of the Buxa tiger population.
State officials have reiterated that the operation follows standard protocols and aims to balance wildlife protection with the safety of local communities.
A specialised capture team, comprising forest officials and wildlife experts, is being deployed to conduct the operation. The team will use tranquiliser darts and transport the tigress in a secure crate to Buxa, where it will be monitored before release into a suitable area of the reserve.
The relocation is slated to begin within the next week, pending weather clearance. Conservationists have welcomed the move, noting that keeping the tigress away from human habitations reduces the risk of retaliatory killings and helps maintain the genetic diversity of the Buxa tiger population.
State officials have reiterated that the operation follows standard protocols and aims to balance wildlife protection with the safety of local communities.