NEWS: Tigress T138 was reintroduced into Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR), West Bengal, as part of a phased programme to establish a stable tiger population.

ABOUT BUXA TIGER RESERVE

• Located in Alipurduar district, West Bengal → Eastern Himalayan foothills.
• Notified under Project Tiger in 1983 → 15th Tiger Reserve of India.
• Shares northern boundary with Bhutan + connects with Assam.

TIGER REINTRODUCTION

• T138 → translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar.
• More tigers planned for release → phased reintroduction.
• Monitoring → telemetry + camera trapping + field monitoring.
• Aim → self-sustaining tiger population.

ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE

• Ecosystems → Terai + Bhabar + sub-Himalayan forests.
• Important rivers → Raidak, Sankosh + Jayanti.
• Rich biodiversity → elephants, gaur, sambar, leopard, clouded leopard + dhole.

WILDLIFE CORRIDORS

• Buxa–Chilapata → connects with Jaldapara.
• Buxa–Ripu → connects with Assam forests.
• International connectivity → Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary (Bhutan) + Manas (Assam).
• Corridors → wildlife movement + genetic connectivity.