"Into the jungle": Three-year-old tigress T138 steps into Buxa, West Bengal
A historic milestone for West Bengal as tigress T138, relocated from Bihar, steps out of her enclosure into the Buxa Tiger Reserve wild.
A historic milestone has been reached in West Bengal’s conservation journey as the state’s first reintroduced tigress has officially begun her life in the wild.
The three-year-old tigress, identified as T138, successfully ventured out of her soft enclosure and into the dense forests of the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) on Sunday evening. This momentous event marks the successful commencement of West Bengal's first-ever tiger reintroduction programme.
From Bihar to the Wilds of Buxa
The journey of T138 began earlier this month when she was brought from the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar. Following her arrival, she was placed in a temporary, fenced enclosure on October 2 to allow her to acclimatize to the new environment. Forest officials confirmed that at dusk on Sunday, the tigress made her move, stepping beyond the boundaries of her enclosure to explore the wider habitat.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav shared the triumphant moment on X, posting footage of the release with the caption, “T138 steps out of the enclosure and into the jungle.”
A Science-Based Conservation Victory
The reintroduction of T138 is the result of a long-term, science-based strategy known as the Tiger Augmentation and Recovery Project. This initiative was spearheaded by the Government of West Bengal with critical support from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
The project aims to restore the ecological balance of Buxa, which has historically been a vital tiger landscape in North Bengal. Although declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983, the area had suffered from habitat fragmentation, land-use changes, and a decline in prey, leading to the disappearance of a stable resident tiger population over several decades.
Restoring the Ecosystem
Addressing the press, Minister Bhupender Yadav highlighted the rigorous preparation involved in this mission. He noted that the decision to reintroduce tigers was based on extensive studies conducted by conservation experts, naturalists, and scientists who determined that the Buxa habitat was once again capable of sustaining the species.
Key factors that have made this reintroduction possible include:
- Prey Availability: Officials confirmed that the reserve now possesses a sufficient prey base to support a resident tiger.
- Habitat Security: To ensure a safe environment for the wildlife, two villages were voluntarily relocated to secure the core habitat.
- Landscape Connectivity: Buxa remains ecologically connected to protected areas in Bhutan and Assam, providing a larger corridor for species movement.
The Minister credited the current state administration for the rapid progress of the project, noting that the successful translocation was achieved in a remarkably short timeframe. He also expressed gratitude to the leadership in Bihar for their cooperation in the relocation process.
As the National Wildlife Week begins, the successful release of T138 stands as a symbol of hope for landscape conservation and the protection of India's most iconic predators.