West Bengal plans to bring back tigress that crossed into Assam's Raimona National Park

The West Bengal government is coordinating with Assam to bring back a three-year-old tigress that moved from Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal to Raimona National Park in Assam, Forest Minister Manoj Oraon said on October 30.

The tigress, which was brought from Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve and released into Buxa on October 2, crossed the Sankosh river on October 23 and entered Raimona National Park, apparently in search of a suitable territory, forest officials said.

Speaking to reporters, Oraon said the animal was tracked through its radio collar and efforts were underway to ensure its safe return to Buxa.

"The tigress was tracked through its radio collar today. Efforts are underway to bring it back. I will go there soon to coordinate the operation," he said.

The minister said the Forest Department was exploring all possible options to facilitate the animal's return without causing it any physical harm.

"We won't do anything that will harm it physically. We are exploring all means to facilitate its smooth, safe return," Oraon said when asked whether tranquiliser guns could be used.

The tigress was released into Buxa Tiger Reserve in Alipurduar district on October 2 in the presence of Union Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari as part of a programme to re-establish a resident tiger population in the reserve.

Buxa had remained without a resident tiger for nearly a decade before a tiger was spotted in 2021. One or two more sightings were reported in subsequent years, including in January 2026.

The West Bengal Forest Department subsequently launched efforts to revive the tiger population in Buxa under the Tiger Augmentation and Recovery Project, with support from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983, Buxa is an important wildlife habitat in north Bengal, forming part of a larger ecological corridor connected to forests and protected areas in Assam and Bhutan.

The movement of the tigress into Raimona also highlights the ecological connectivity between the protected forest landscapes of Assam and West Bengal, allowing wildlife to move across state boundaries.