States » EastPosted at: Oct 2 2026 5:21PM


Six tigers to be introduced in Buxa over four years, says Bengal forest minister

Siliguri, Oct 2 (UNI) West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon on Friday said that a total of six tigers would be introduced in phases into the Buxa Tiger Reserve as part of the state’s tiger reintroduction programme.
Speaking at a programme marking the tiger reintroduction in Alipurduar, Oraon said one tigress had already been released in 2026 and five more would be introduced over the next three years — in 2027, 2028 and 2029.
The minister said the reintroduction programme would be implemented in accordance with the guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Global Tiger Forum. The six tigers would form two units, comprising two males and four females, with the animals being released in a planned manner to facilitate future breeding.
Oraon expressed hope that Buxa would emerge as a fully established tiger habitat within 10 to 15 years, with natural reproduction taking place in the reserve.
“If tigers can transform livelihoods in the Sundarbans, this project can also bring new opportunities, new avenues and new livelihoods through tourism development in Buxa,” he said.
Referring to Buxa’s history, the minister said the reserve had a substantial tiger population until the middle of the 20th century. Between 1932 and 1950, nearly 150 tigers were reportedly killed, while hunting and poaching subsequently contributed to the decline of the species in the landscape.
He said evidence of tiger presence had been recorded in Buxa through camera traps and pugmarks in 2021, 2023 and 2026.
The minister also stressed that the ecological corridor connecting Buxa with Assam’s Manas National Park and Bhutan remains functional, providing an important landscape for tiger movement.
Describing the reintroduction programme as a historic step, Oraon said it had been planned keeping in mind the next 25 years and the long-term conservation of the reserve. As part of efforts to strengthen the prey base, around 870 deer have also been released in the landscape, he said.
Spread over around 760 sq km, Buxa was notified as a tiger reserve in 1983. The reserve has a rich biodiversity, with more than 400 species of birds, 103 species of mammals, 144 species of orchids and around 352 species of trees, according to the minister.
He also referred to the region’s elephant population and other wildlife, including leopards and gaur, besides mentioning the conservation of the red panda in the Singalila landscape.
The minister said the Buxa landscape formed an important part of the wider North Bengal wildlife corridor and that the tiger reintroduction programme was aimed not merely at restoring the species but also at strengthening the ecological and economic prospects of the region.
The project, he added, was expected to open up new possibilities for wildlife tourism and generate livelihood opportunities for communities living around the reserve.
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