A tigress from West Bengal's Buxa Tiger Reserve has been safely captured in Assam after travelling more than 100 kilometres across forest areas and reaching locations close to human settlements. The successful operation involved coordinated efforts by forest officials from West Bengal, Assam's Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), local authorities and residents.
The tigress, identified as BT1, was released into the wild at Buxa Tiger Reserve on October 2, 2026. However, after being released, the animal gradually moved beyond the reserve's boundaries and entered Assam. It eventually reached Raimona National Park in the Bodoland Territorial Region.
According to forest officials, the tigress continued moving through different forest areas from October 23. During its journey, it travelled through parts of Assam and eventually approached human settlements in Kokrajhar district. Its movement towards populated areas raised concerns about possible human-wildlife conflict and the safety of both local residents and the animal.
Following the development, forest departments from West Bengal and Bodoland launched a joint monitoring and rescue operation. Teams were deployed to track the tigress's movements and ensure that it could be safely captured without causing harm to the animal or putting residents at risk.
The operation also received support from the district administration, police personnel and local communities. Officials closely monitored the animal's location and coordinated their efforts to prevent any potentially dangerous encounters between the tigress and people living in nearby villages.
After the coordinated operation, the tigress was successfully captured. Officials described the mission as an important example of cooperation between forest departments across state and administrative boundaries.
Assam Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah praised the teams involved in the operation. He congratulated forest personnel from West Bengal and Bodoland for their efforts in ensuring the safe capture of BT1.
The incident has once again highlighted the challenges associated with wildlife movement beyond protected forest areas. Tigers and other wild animals often travel long distances in search of suitable habitats, territory and food. Such movements can sometimes bring them closer to human settlements, increasing the possibility of conflict.
The successful rescue also underlines the importance of coordinated wildlife monitoring, timely intervention and cooperation between neighbouring states to protect endangered animals while ensuring the safety of local communities.
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