Guwahati, Assam: A Royal Bengal tigress translocated from Bihar to West Bengal’s Buxa Tiger Reserve earlier this month has ventured into Assam’s Raimona National Park, highlighting the ecological connectivity between protected forests in the eastern Himalayan foothills.
Forest officials said the nearly three-year-old tigress crossed the Sankosh River and entered Raimona within weeks of its release in Buxa. The animal’s movements are being closely monitored through a radio collar fitted before its relocation.
The tigress was introduced into Buxa Tiger Reserve on October 2 as part of an initiative aimed at rebuilding a viable tiger population in the reserve, which has struggled for years to maintain a stable presence of the big cat. Authorities view the relocation as a key component of long-term conservation efforts in the landscape.
According to forest department officials, the animal appears to be behaving naturally by exploring a wider range in search of suitable habitat and establishing its territory. Its movement through a recognised forest corridor linking Buxa and adjoining habitats is being seen as an indication that the larger landscape remains functional for wildlife dispersal.
West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Oraon said there was currently no proposal to capture or return the tigress to Buxa. Instead, officials are allowing the animal to move freely while assessing whether it chooses to settle in Raimona or elsewhere within the connected forest network.
Conservationists note that Buxa Tiger Reserve and Raimona National Park form part of a broader transboundary ecosystem stretching across Assam, West Bengal, Bhutan and neighbouring regions. The movement of large carnivores through these corridors is considered important for maintaining genetic diversity and strengthening tiger conservation efforts.
Buxa had witnessed a prolonged absence of a confirmed resident tiger population before sporadic sightings were reported in recent years. In response, the West Bengal Forest Department initiated measures to restore the reserve’s tiger population, including the relocation of the tigress from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve.
The animal’s latest movement has generated interest among wildlife officials, as it could provide valuable insights into habitat preferences, corridor use and the potential for natural recolonisation of forests across the region.
For now, authorities will continue tracking the tigress through satellite and radio-collar signals as they monitor whether it establishes a territory in Assam or eventually returns to the Buxa landscape.
