Captive-bred Royal Bengal Tigers released in Bengal Safari Park

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 1 Oct 2019 | Darjeeling: It was a taste of freedom for Rika and Kika, the two captive born and bred Royal Bengal Tigers. On Tuesday they were released in the display area of the Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri.

The one-and-half-year olds were the centre of attraction at the park. Around 11am the gates of the tiger enclosure were opened. Kika, the white tiger cub, first peeped out, surveyed the area and returned to the enclosure.

Rika turned out to be the bolder of the two. She stepped out right into the forest. After sometime even Kika followed suit. After a few playful moments the cubs disappeared into the jungle (part of the Tiger Safari.)

Forest Minister Bratya Basu, Tourism Minister Goutam Deb and North Bengal Development Minister Rabindra Nath Ghosh were present at the Safari for the release.

"The successful breeding of Bengal Tigers is a feather in the cap for Bengal Safari. We want to take up this project on a larger-scale here. At present, the park stretches across 20 hectares. We are planning to incorporate another 5 hectares that will be used to captive breeding," said the Forest Minister.

Shila, a tigress of the Safari, had given birth to three cubs in May 2018. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had named them Ika, Kika and Rika. Last year Ika died. The two survived and are in the best of health and spirits.

Along with these two female cubs, there are two more adult tigers in the safari at present. One is Shila and the other Rivan, a male tiger from Hazaribagh.

The park boasts of 2 leopards, one Himalayan black bear, elephants, more than 400 deer, different species of birds and crocodiles.

"We are planning to release zoo bred red pandas from the Darjeeling zoo into the wild in February 2020," Basu said.

The Bengal Safari, a brainchild of CM Mamata Banerjee was inaugurated in 2016. It is a major tourist attraction in Siliguri. Even local residents make a beeline specially on holidays.

"We will be introducing a toy train from January. The train will however not run on tracks. Kormotirtho, a handicraft centre also dealing in local produce like honey will also come up opposite the park," added Minister Deb.

(Source & Courtesy: http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/captive-bred-royal-bengal-tigers-released-in-bengal-safari-park-377358)