Soon, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Jaldapara National Park to have 12 new tigers

MP | 21 March 2017 | Kolkata:Rajabhatkhawa Nature Interpretation Centre, under Buxa Tiger Reserve and Jaldapara National Park will soon get 12 new tigers. The tigers would be airlifted from Assam in helicopters.

State Forest minister Binoy Krishna Burman recently held a meeting with officers of the National Tiger Conservation Authority and local residents on this issue.

The local residents also agreed with the Forest department to bring in the tigers. They were convinced that adequate infrastructure has been set up there by the government to bring in the tigers.

Rajabhatkhawa Nature Interpretation Centre is a tourist spot. Many underprivileged families have been living there for a long time now. The families, which would come under areas prone to tiger attacks, would be rehabilitated to different places.

According to the Forest department, six tigers will be brought from Assam in the first phase. Three of those tigers would be shifted to the Buxa Tiger Reserve and the other three would be freed at the Jaldapara National Park. 

However, the fate of the rest six tigers has not yet been decided which are slated to be airlifted in the next phase. The foresters would maintain a balanced ratio of tigers and tigresses while bringing them from Assam.

It may be recalled that the state Forest department earlier received an approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority to bring in three tigers to Jaldapara National Park as a part of a programme to increase the big cat population of the region.

The state Forest department sent proposals to the National Tiger Conservation Authority in 2016. Later, the National Tiger Conservation Authority agreed to the idea of having tigers at Jaldapara National Park in December 2016. 

Buxa Tiger Reserve also got the similar approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority early in 2016.      

However, the state Forest department would start a vigorous tree plantation programme at Buxa Tiger Reserve. The department has taken various initiatives to complete the tree plantation initiatives as soon as possible.

It may be mentioned that Rajabhatkhawa Nature Interpretation Centre is popular among tourists. The Nature Interpretation Centre, Rescue Centre, Vulture Breeding Centre, Nature Trail, Forestry Training Centre are among the major attractions. Soon, a Butterfly Park is also due to be set up here.