Dozen Bihar tigresses on shortlist for one Buxa slot
Times of India | 6 September 2026
Kolkata: At least a dozen tigresses at Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve have been shortlisted for possible translocation to Bengal’s Buxa Tiger Reserve, with the final selection process set to begin 15 days before the proposed Oct 2 release date, National Tiger Conservation Authority officials said.
The Bihar forest department, along with a Wildlife Institute of India team, has already completed a preliminary survey and shortlisted 10-12 tigresses. One will eventually be selected, captured and brought to Buxa for release.
NTCA member secretary Sanjay Kumar Pathak said the final selection would be based on several ecological, behavioural and health-related parameters.
“Dispersing young adults, territorial status, conflict history, hunting instinct and physical condition will be among the criteria considered before zeroing in on the tigress,” he said.
An NTCA expert panel formed for the project is also expected to visit Buxa next week to assess the reserve’s preparedness ahead of the translocation.
The project is being supported through central funding, with Bengal receiving the first instalment of nearly Rs 3.2 crore in June under the centrally sponsored scheme for Project Tiger and Project Elephant for 2026-27, of which Buxa’s share is around Rs 75 lakh.
However, NTCA is yet to receive a utilisation report from Bengal on this amount. The second instalment will be sanctioned only after utilisation of the first tranche is established.
“Bengal has not yet submitted a proposal seeking the second instalment,” Pathak said, adding that proposals from at least 10 other states have already reached the authority.
Calls to Manish Jain, additional chief secretary of Bengal’s forest department, went unanswered.