Kolkata, Sep 30 (IANS) : A three-year-old tigress from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve was airlifted to Hasimara Air Force Station in north Bengal on Wednesday morning as part of an ambitious effort to restore the tiger population in Buxa Tiger Reserve in the state.
The tigress, captured after a week-long search operation, was flown from Gorakhpur airport in a specially designed cage with full medical support. An Indian Air Force helicopter carried the animal to Hasimara, where it landed at around 4:45 am.
Forest department officials said a team of nearly 70 tiger rescue personnel had been searching for the tigress in Valmiki Tiger Reserve for several days despite difficult weather conditions. She was finally tranquilised with sleeper darts before dusk on Tuesday.
After the capture, the tigress underwent health checks before being transported by road from Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar’s Champaran district to Gorakhpur airport, around 125 km away. Following the airlift, two wildlife veterinarians and tiger experts examined her physical parameters for more than an hour at Hasimara.
The tigress was then transported by road to Buxa Tiger Reserve, about 37 km from Hasimara. Security arrangements were strengthened along the route, with additional police personnel deployed to ensure a smooth transfer.
The animal entered Buxa through the Rajabhatkhawa gate at around 6:45 pm and was taken to a special forest department facility at 25 Miles. She will remain there temporarily before being moved to a 2.2-hectare natural enclosure.
Officials said the tigress will be released into the natural enclosure on October 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav are scheduled to attend the release programme.
The relocation is part of a broader initiative to revive the tiger population in Buxa. The reserve has been preparing for the reintroduction programme, with forest authorities making arrangements for the animal’s acclimatisation and monitoring after its release. The movement of the tigress involved coordination among forest, wildlife and defence authorities.
