First tigress released in Buxa Tiger Reserve under Tiger Reintroduction Programme
On 2 October 2026 a tigress translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve (Bihar) was released in Buxa Tiger Reserve (West Bengal), the first phase of a Tiger Reintroduction Programme, marking the start of Wildlife Week 2026.
Summary
A tigress was released in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, on 2 October 2026 in the presence of Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The animal was translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar. It is the first phase of a phased Tiger Reintroduction Programme to restore a self-sustaining tiger population in Buxa, and marked the beginning of Wildlife Week 2026. Buxa was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983 and is connected to forests of Bhutan and Assam; it had long lacked a stable resident tiger population. Since 2018 a Tiger Augmentation and Recovery Project with NTCA and WII has released more than 800 chital and restored about 380 hectares of grassland.
Key facts
- Reserve
- Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal (declared 1983)
- Tigress from
- Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar
- Date
- 2 October 2026 — start of Wildlife Week 2026
- Programme
- Phased Tiger Reintroduction Programme (first phase)
- Support
- NTCA and Wildlife Institute of India (since 2018)
- Prey base
- 800+ chital released; ~380 ha grassland restored
- Connectivity
- Forests of Bhutan and Assam (Manas Tiger Reserve)
Practice MCQs 3 questions
In October 2026, the first tigress under a Tiger Reintroduction Programme was released in which tiger reserve?
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Correct answer: B — Buxa
The tigress was released in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, on 2 October 2026.
The tigress released in Buxa Tiger Reserve in October 2026 was translocated from which reserve?
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Correct answer: B — Valmiki Tiger Reserve
The tigress was translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar.
In which year was Buxa declared a Tiger Reserve?
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Correct answer: B — 1983
Buxa was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983.