Buxa Tiger Reintroduction: Restoring a Lost Population

Context

A tigress from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve was released into West Bengal’s Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) on 2 October 2026, marking the beginning of a phased tiger reintroduction programme. The project aims to restore a stable resident population of the tiger in Buxa from where it was extirpated for many years.

Buxa Tiger Reserve: Geographical Profile

Buxa Tiger Reserve is situated in Alipurduar district of the eastern foothills of the eastern Himalayas in northern West Bengal. It became a Tiger Reserve in 1983 and is an integral part of a larger ecologically linked landscape with forests of Bhutan and Assam.

The reserve is a mix of forest and grassland areas, with mountains in the background, offering habitat for a variety of wildlife. It is also significant in sustaining ecological connectivity in the eastern Himalayan region due to its location.

Why is Tiger Reintroduction Needed?

• Historically, Buxa had resident tigers but it has suffered from a long period without a stable resident population of tigers. The ecological conditions needed for the survival of the tiger were adversely affected due to habitat degradation, habitat fragmentation, land use and prey limitation.
• But, tigers had not been completely wiped out of the broader landscape because of the lack of a resident population. In 2021, 2023 and 2026, camera traps caught tigers in Buxa, and one tiger photographed in 2023 matched with a tiger from Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam, suggesting the natural movement of tigers between neighbouring landscapes.
• This serves as a proof that Buxa has ecological connectivity adequate for tiger movement but for the establishment of a breeding population and self-sustaining population more conservation efforts are required.

Building the Ecological Foundation

The tiger reintroduction programme has been preceded by efforts to improve Buxa’s ecological conditions.

• Prey Base Augmentation: Over 800 chital have been released by the government for the enhancement of the prey base. Scientific monitoring has also shown that there are areas showing a positive trend among some prey species. A sufficient prey base is essential because tigers are apex predators requiring large territories and adequate prey availability.
• Grassland Restoration: Around 380 hectares of grassland have been restored or converted over the past eight years. Herbivores, the prey species of the tigers, are a key component of grasslands and so play an indirect role in tiger recovery.
• Scientific Monitoring: Wildlife Institute of India has done assessments of prey, predators and habitat quality. During 2021-25 positive trends were observed for species like barking deer, sambar and chital, while the wild pig population has declined.

Scientific Approach to Reintroduction

The reintroduction is being implemented in steps and adaptively. The translocated tigess will be intensively monitored via:

• Radio/telemetry-based tracking
• Camera trapping
• Field monitoring
• Veterinary and health assessments.
• Assessments of behaviours and movement.

Future releases will be based on habitat quality, prey availability, protection preparedness and population viability and not just a number.

This reflects the broader principle of science-based wildlife management.

Role of Community Participation

Forest protection is not sufficient for conservation. There are 64 Eco-Development Committees/Joint Forest Management Committees in the recovery programme in Buxa.

Community participation is about:

• Livelihood opportunities
• Human-wildlife conflict mitigation
• Conservation-linked benefits
• Dialogue with local communities

With an expanding tiger population, human-tiger conflict will be a growing concern.

Challenges Ahead

• Habitat Degradation: Habitat quality and fragmentation can restrict movement and breeding.
• Prey Availability: The prey population needs to be stable and in abundance to support a healthy population of tigers.
• The human pressure: Human activities and villages near protected areas can increase the potential for human-wildlife conflicts.
• Ecological Connectivity: Natural dispersal & exchange through corridors between Buxa and Assam/ Bhutan is important.
• Preparatory Measures: Vaccination of domestic dogs has been carried out to minimise the transmission of disease from wildlife to domestic animals.

Way Forward: Protect the Ecosystem, Not Just the Tiger

The Buxa project is an example of the need to restore the ecosystem before reintroduction. Tigers could be released without providing them with adequate habitat, prey, and ecological corridors, risking redraw of the conservation goals.

Thus, should be considered with priorities:

• Restoring degraded habitats
• Maintaining wildlife corridors
• Strengthening prey populations
• Improving anti-poaching measures
• Scientific monitoring
• Reducing human-wildlife conflict
• Making meaningful community involvement a reality

The number of released tigers is just a secondary measure of success, and the ultimate measure of success would be the establishment of a healthy, free-ranging and self-sustaining population of tigers.

Source: The Hindu

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