West Bengal Starts Tiger Program at Buxa Tiger Reserve

Wildlife conservation in North Bengal reached a landmark achievement on October 2, 2026, as a three-year-old female tiger, identified as T138, was released into a 2.2-hectare soft-release enclosure at Buxa Tiger Reserve. The tigress was translocated from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve after being tranquilized on September 30 and airlifted by an Indian Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to the Hasimara airbase (Source: PIB).

Leaders Attend Release

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav attended the ceremonial release during the launch of National Wildlife Week and hailed the event as a historic turning point (Source: News On Air). Minister Yadav credited the collaborative efforts of multiple wildlife authorities for the project's progress. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari noted that the state plans to transform the region into a global nature-tourism destination (Source: ANI).

Future Plans for Buxa

State authorities intend to introduce a total of six tigers over the next four years to establish a self-sustaining population. Intensive monitoring will be conducted via GPS-enabled radio collars and camera trapping to assess the health and adaptation of the animals. Officials stated that over the past eight years, the reserve has seen a positive trend in prey abundance, supported by the release of over 800 prey animals and the restoration of 380 hectares of grassland.