Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Nov 9: Royal Bengal tigress 'Rani', which was recently brought back from Assam after its first escape from Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal, has escaped again from the reserve, prompting the Forest Department to launch a fresh search operation and issue a red alert.
Forest Department officials said on Monday that the tigress escaped from the Buxa forest in Alipurduar district, evading surveillance, less than five days after being brought back from Assam with much fanfare.
The search for the tigress has already begun, while a red alert has been sounded in the area.
The incident dates back to September 27, when the three-year-old tigress from Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve was tranquillised using darts and airlifted to Hasimara Air Force Base in Alipurduar on September 30. The airlift was carried out by an Indian Air Force IM-17 helicopter.
After landing at Hasimara Air Force Station, two wildlife doctors and tiger experts examined the tigress and assessed her physical parameters for more than an hour. She was subsequently transported by road to Buxa Tiger Reserve.
The initiative was part of a plan to increase the tiger population in north Bengal and establish a permanent habitat for tigers in the Buxa forest.
On October 5, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav announced that the Royal Bengal tigress had been released into the forest.
However, later that month, the tigress escaped from the reserve by crossing the Sankosh River and entering Assam's Raimona National Park.
Initially, the Forest Department decided against interfering with the tigress's natural movement. However, concerns were subsequently raised over her presence close to human settlements and the safety of domestic animals.
West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon personally travelled to Assam to facilitate the tigress's return.
Finally, on November 3, the West Bengal and Assam Forest Departments jointly launched an operation in Assam's Kokrajhar district to capture the tigress. With the assistance of three elephants, the animal was surrounded and, following an operation lasting around two hours, tranquillised.
The tigress was subsequently brought back to Alipurduar in a special box and placed inside an enclosure at Buxa Tiger Reserve.
However, in another setback for the Forest Department, Rani escaped from the enclosure again on Sunday afternoon, triggering a fresh search operation.