Kolkata, Nov 3 The West Bengal Forest Department is making final preparations to bring back a tigress that strayed from Buxa Tiger Reserve into Assam’s Raimona National Park, with the rescue operation likely to be completed shortly, state Forest Minister Manoj Oraon said on Tuesday.
The tigress is expected to be captured using a tranquiliser dart or a cage and brought back to Buxa forest, subject to favourable weather and other conditions, he told PTI.
The minister said the animal’s movements were being monitored through a radio collar and it was in good health.
“Our teams are present in the area. We are hopeful of bringing it back by tonight or possibly tomorrow,” Oraon said.
He said the forest department had initially allowed the tigress to move freely, expecting it to return to Buxa through the Raimona or Bhutan forest corridor as part of its natural movement.
However, as the animal moved closer to human habitations over the past two to three days, the authorities decided to launch a rescue operation, he said.
The department has obtained the necessary clearance from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for the operation, the minister added.
He also acknowledged the cooperation extended by the Assam government, saying joint teams from the two states had cordoned off the area and were monitoring the situation.
“Forest personnel have been on alert since the tigress crossed the Sankosh river. The Assam government has been extremely cooperative from the beginning,” he said.
The tigress was released into Buxa forest on October 2, following which forest officials had been tracking its movements.
(PTI News)
