Guwahati: A tigress from West Bengal’s Buxa Tiger Reserve, which travelled more than 100 km across state boundaries before reaching human settlements in Assam’s Kokrajhar district, has been safely captured following a coordinated operation involving forest officials from the two states, Assam Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah said on Tuesday.
Sharing details of the operation in a post on social media platform X, Mallabaruah described it as a commendable example of inter-state coordination and collective commitment to wildlife conservation.
He congratulated the forest departments of Assam and West Bengal, district administration, police personnel and local communities for ensuring the safe capture of the animal.
The tigress, identified as BT1, was released into the wild at Buxa Tiger Reserve on October 2.
However, she subsequently travelled more than 100 km and entered Assam, eventually reaching Raimona National Park in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
According to the Minister, the tigress continued moving through forested landscapes from October 23 onwards before approaching human settlements in Kokrajhar district, prompting concerns over the safety of both the animal and local residents.
Considering the potential risks, forest officials from West Bengal and Assam initiated a coordinated operation to track the tigress, monitor her movements and assess the situation.
The operation also involved the support of the district administration, police and local communities.
The coordinated intervention eventually resulted in the safe capture of BT1, preventing a potentially dangerous situation as the animal had moved closer to inhabited areas.
Mallabaruah emphasised that wildlife movement does not remain confined to administrative boundaries and that such incidents underline the importance of cooperation between neighbouring states in protecting wildlife.
He said inter-state coordination was particularly crucial in landscapes where animal movement frequently extends beyond protected forest areas and into human settlements.
Congratulating all the teams involved, the Minister said the successful operation demonstrated how collective efforts by forest departments, law enforcement agencies, local administration and communities could deliver meaningful outcomes for wildlife conservation.
“BT1 is safe, and that is what matters most,” Mallabaruah said, describing the operation as an important example of cooperation between states for wildlife protection.
The incident also highlights the importance of coordinated wildlife monitoring and timely intervention in the transboundary forest corridors of Northeast India, where the movement of large mammals often extends across protected areas and state boundaries.
–IANS–
