environment

Tigress relocated from Bihar to Buxa crosses Sankosh, enters Assam's Raimona National Park

Published on: 29 Oct 2026, 01:56 PM

A three-year-old tigress translocated from Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve to West Bengal's Buxa Tiger Reserve has crossed into Assam, forest officials have confirmed. The animal, identified as BTR-TF-1 (also recorded as T-138), entered Raimona National Park in Assam on Sunday after crossing the Sankosh river and a road near Gosaigaon.

Officials said the movement appears to be a natural search for suitable habitat rather than a response to any disturbance. "Once relocated, it takes a tiger a few times to explore its surroundings and establish its own territory. This female Royal Bengal tiger is also just exploring. So far, her movement area has been traced just 3 km away from the Bengal border," West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Oraon said.

The tigress was moved from Valmiki to Buxa on October 2 and released in the presence of Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. At the time, Mr. Adhikari said three more tigers would be released in Buxa over the next two months, describing the programme as one that would support both wildlife conservation and tourism in the region.

Forest teams from Assam and West Bengal, along with a team from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), are tracking the tigress through her radio collar. Mr. Oraon said there is no plan at present to tranquillise her or bring her back to Bengal. "It is a tiger's natural habit to explore. We don't want to disturb the tiger or restrict its movement immediately. We want to let her move around wherever she wants till she establishes a territory. The tigress is healthy, and it is also hunting birds and other animals for consumption," he said.

Buxa was declared a tiger reserve in 1983, but the area has recorded no confirmed tiger presence in recent years. According to a Press Information Bureau statement, the reserve's recovery has been a sustained, science-based effort. The Tiger Augmentation and Recovery Project, initiated by the Government of West Bengal with support from the NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), has been implemented collaboratively since 2018.

Officials said the tigress will undergo intensive post-release monitoring using a combination of telemetry, camera trapping and field-based observation to assess her movement, adaptation, health and behaviour. Such monitoring is standard practice in reintroduction programmes, where the survival and settlement of translocated animals are tracked closely in the first months after release.

The restoration of tigers in Buxa is expected to strengthen tiger presence in north Bengal, which has significant ecological linkages with the forests of Assam and Bhutan. These connected landscapes offer opportunities for the movement and dispersal of wildlife across a wider area, the official statement said.

West Bengal also hosts a resident tiger population in the Sundarbans, where the last census recorded 100 tigers in the mangrove ecosystem.

The NTCA, in collaboration with various State governments, has undertaken tiger reintroduction initiatives across 12 tiger reserves in the country, from Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan to Simlipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha.

Source: The Hindu

Latest in Environment 10

environment

Delhi's AQI Hits 314: 'Very Poor' Air Returns as Winter Curbs Take Effect

Delhi's overall AQI stood at 314 at 10 am, placing the city in the 'very poor' category for the first time this season and bringing Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan into play. The reading came as the Delhi government's Winter Action Plan took effect from November 1, with construction curbs, doubled parking charges and staggered office timings in place until February 28. On the first day of enforcement, authorities levied Rs 68.4 lakh in penalties and environmental compensation.

NDTV 02 Nov 2026, 04:49 AM

environment

Delhi-NCR Winter Pollution Curbs: Old Vehicle Ban, 50% Work From Home, Costlier Parking

Delhi-NCR has introduced stricter winter pollution measures running from November 1 to January 31, including a ban on non-BSVI vehicles entering the capital, halved office attendance with the rest working from home, curbs on dust-generating construction, doubled parking fees and a 'No PUC, No Fuel' rule at about 500 petrol pumps. Enforcement will rely on ANPR cameras, AI-enabled monitoring and e-challans, with exemptions for electric and CNG vehicles, ambulances and fire tenders.

NDTV 01 Nov 2026, 02:53 AM

environment

Buxa's relocated tigress crosses into Assam; West Bengal plans to bring her back

A three-year-old tigress released in West Bengal's Buxa Tiger Reserve on October 2 has crossed into Assam's Raimona reserve, with her movement traced about 25 km from the State border. Forest Minister Manoj Oraon will visit Raimona on October 31 to finalise plans to tranquilise and bring her back. Officials say the tigress is healthy and hunting, and will continue to be tracked through telemetry and camera traps.

The Hindu 31 Oct 2026, 05:39 AM

environment

Delhi-NCR construction and demolition ban from Nov 5 to 20 as air pollution measures tighten

Delhi and the NCR will bar dust-generating construction and demolition work from November 5 to 20, with exemptions for nationally important projects, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav announced. The CAQM is also expected to order 50% work from home in the high-traffic districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar. Officials say the timing reflects Deepavali on November 8 and the expected peak in stubble burning.

The Hindu 30 Oct 2026, 01:34 PM

environment

Coimbatore Collector: Joint action, swift response key to tackling human-wildlife conflict

Coimbatore District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar has called for close coordination among departments, faster response and greater use of technology to reduce human-wildlife conflict in a district with over 300 km of forest boundary. At a workshop under Project Kaliru 4.0, West Zone IG R.V. Ramya Bharathi said 36 people died in animal conflicts across eight western districts last year and stressed that the Forest Department cannot handle the problem alone.

The Hindu 28 Oct 2026, 01:47 PM

environment

Cyclone Arnab Nears Andhra Pradesh Coast; Uttar Pradesh Braces for Four Days of Rain

Cyclone Arnab is heading towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, and the India Meteorological Department has forecast unseasonal rain, thunderstorms and strong winds across Uttar Pradesh from October 28 to 31. Yellow and orange alerts have been issued for several districts, with daytime temperatures expected to drop by 5 to 8 degrees Celsius in some areas. The state's Relief Commissioner's Office has issued precautionary guidelines for the public and farmers and has stepped up relief preparations.

The Hindu 27 Oct 2026, 03:53 AM

environment

Cyclone Arnab intensifies over Bay of Bengal; Andhra Pradesh coast on alert as Tamil Nadu gets rain

The India Meteorological Department said the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into cyclonic storm Arnab, which is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam as a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 115-125 kmph. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to maintain round-the-clock vigilance and full preparedness, while Tamil Nadu continues to receive rain under an active north-east monsoon till October 27.

The Hindu 26 Oct 2026, 03:48 AM

environment

Toxic Foam Returns to Yamuna as Delhi-NCR Air Quality Slips to 'Unhealthy'

Toxic white foam has reappeared on the Yamuna near Kalindi Kunj, days after the Delhi government showcased Rs 9,000 crore in river rejuvenation projects. At the same time, Delhi-NCR's overall AQI touched 168, prompting the CAQM to invoke Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan. Experts link the foam to detergents, industrial effluents and untreated sewage in a river with low dry-season flow.

NDTV 25 Oct 2026, 05:13 AM

environment

IMD red alert: Extremely heavy rain to hit Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad on October 25

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts of Keralam on October 25, and in Idukki and Palakkad on October 26. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has warned of flash floods, overflowing streams, waterlogging and landslips, advising residents of vulnerable areas to move to safer locations if needed.

The Hindu 24 Oct 2026, 03:40 PM

environment

Delhi's air quality improves to 'moderate' after three days of 'poor' air

Delhi's air quality improved to the 'moderate' category on Saturday morning, with the AQI at 185 after three consecutive days of 'poor' air that peaked at a 24-hour average of 230 on Friday. The city also saw a marginal dip in minimum temperatures, with Safdarjung recording 18.3 degrees Celsius, while the IMD forecasts partly cloudy skies and daytime highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius.

The Hindu 24 Oct 2026, 05:48 AM

→ View All Environment News