Centre clears tiger reintroduction project for Buxa Tiger Reserve in North Bengal

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has decided to implement a long-pending tiger reintroduction project at the Buxa Tiger Reserve in North Bengal. Under the project, tigers from forests outside West Bengal will be relocated to Buxa in an effort to restore a stable tiger population in the reserve. The plan will be carried out under the guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the country’s apex tiger conservation body.

Instructions regarding the implementation of the project have already been communicated to the state administration. Officials associated with the Buxa Tiger Reserve Authority and the state forest department confirmed that preparations are underway, although they declined to comment publicly on operational details. The project had remained pending for several years before the Centre decided to move ahead with its execution.

According to the proposed plan, two tigresses and one tiger from forests outside the state will initially be brought to Buxa and kept inside a specially prepared enclosure. All three animals will be fitted with radio collars for continuous monitoring. After a period of observation inside the enclosure, the tigers will be released into the open forest area while forest officials track their movement and adaptation through the radio-collar system.

Buxa Forest in Alipurduar district was declared India’s 15th tiger reserve in 1982. At that time, the reserve reportedly had more than 20 tigers. Spread across nearly 760 square kilometres of hilly and plain terrain, the reserve gradually lost its permanent tiger population over the years. In recent years, camera traps occasionally captured movement of tigers entering the forest from neighbouring Bhutan, but no stable tiger population currently exists inside Buxa.

As part of the reintroduction initiative, forest authorities have already completed construction work for the enclosure where the incoming tigers will initially stay. Deer have also been released inside the enclosure to ensure the availability of prey animals. Officials are considering bringing the tigers from forests in Assam or Bihar, as those habitats are considered environmentally suitable for adaptation inside Buxa.

The project has triggered discussion among residents living near forest and fringe areas over possible future restrictions linked to tiger conservation and tourism management. Manab Bokshi, secretary of the Alipurduar District Tourism Association, stated that tiger tourism could revive the regional economy but expressed concern over possible restrictions affecting local residents and tourism activities. He said residents wanted clarity regarding the forest department’s future plans for the area.