- Why in news
- On 2 October 2026, a tigress from Valmiki Tiger Reserve (Bihar) was released in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal. It is the first phase of a phased Tiger Reintroduction Programme, and it opened Wildlife Week 2026.
- What it is
- Buxa Tiger Reserve lies in the Alipurduar area of North Bengal. It is part of a larger forest landscape linked to Bhutan and Assam. It has had no stable resident tiger population for a long time, so a recovery programme based on habitat, prey and community work is under way.
- Source of the tigress
- The tigress was translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar. This is the first phase of a phased, adaptive programme.
- Tiger Reserve status
- Buxa was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983. It connects to forests and protected areas of Bhutan and Assam.
- Recovery project
- The Tiger Augmentation and Recovery Project is run by West Bengal with NTCA and WII support. It has been implemented since 2018.
- Prey and habitat work
- More than 800 chital have been released as prey, and about 380 hectares of grassland have been restored or converted.
- Community role
- The programme engages 64 Eco-Development Committees/Joint Forest Management Committees.
Don’t confuse with Reintroduction vs augmentation: Reintroduction brings a species back where it has vanished. Augmentation adds animals to a small existing population. Buxa's programme uses both terms, and tigers have been recorded there through natural movement.
Species and protected areas: 12 Prelims questions since 2013; they test legal status, location and the year of designation.
Why it matters
- Restores a top predator in a landscape connected to Assam and Bhutan, aiding wider biodiversity.
- Shows a model that combines habitat, prey and community work with translocation.
Problems
- Human-wildlife conflict and the livelihood needs of surrounding communities.
- Habitat fragmentation and the need to keep prey numbers high enough.
Way forward
- Phased augmentation guided by prey, habitat, protection readiness and monitoring.
- Keep community engagement and transboundary corridor links strong.
Put in your answer
Prey and grassland restoration: Over 800 chital released and about 380 ha of grassland restored show habitat-first recovery.
Community participation: 64 EDCs/JFMCs are engaged for livelihoods and conflict mitigation.
- 2017Prelims Q80What does the term M-STrIPES refer to in news?
- 2020Prelims Q100Which Tiger Reserve has the largest area under Critical Tiger Habitat?
- 2026Prelims Q32Statements about Madhav National Park's tiger reserve status and Ramsar site.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Single answer
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
With reference to the Buxa Tiger Reserve and the recent Tiger Reintroduction Programme there, consider the following statements:
- 1.The tigress released in the first phase was translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar.
- 2.Buxa was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983.
- 3.The Tiger Augmentation and Recovery Project has been implemented since 2018 by the West Bengal Government with support from NTCA and WII.
- 4.Sambar is the main prey species released to supplement the prey base in Buxa.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
True or false?
1 of 7
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The tigress released in Buxa Tiger Reserve was translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar.
True. The source was Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar.
2.Buxa was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983.
True. Buxa became a Tiger Reserve in 1983.
3.Buxa Tiger Reserve is located in Assam.
False. Buxa is in North Bengal, West Bengal. It adjoins Assam and Bhutan.
4.The Tiger Augmentation and Recovery Project in Buxa has been implemented since 2018 by West Bengal with support from NTCA and WII.
True. The project began in 2018 with NTCA and WII support.
5.The prey base in Buxa has been supplemented mainly by releasing sambar.
False. More than 800 chital have been released.
6.A tiger photographed in Buxa in 2023 was matched with a tiger from Manas Tiger Reserve, indicating natural movement between landscapes.
True. The 2023 camera-trap individual matched a Manas tiger.
7.Tiger Reserves in India are notified under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, on the advice of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
True. Section 38V of the Act provides for notifying tiger reserves by the State Government on the advice of the NTCA.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.