Article 1: Rescue act
Why in news: A Royal Bengal tigress has been relocated to Buxa Tiger Reserve, marking West Bengal’s first tiger reintroduction under a programme aimed at restoring a locally extinct tiger population.
Key Details
- Tiger reintroduction: The programme plans to bring seven tigers to Buxa over two years after the reserve had lost its tiger population.
- Habitat problems: Buxa faces fragmented forests, settlements, tea estates, roads and railway infrastructure, which can restrict wildlife movement.
- Prey shortage: Declining grasslands and herbivore populations have reduced the availability of natural prey for tigers.
- Habitat restoration: Authorities have reintroduced chital, opened parts of dense forest canopies and relocated some villages from the reserve’s core.
- Long-term success: Reintroduction will succeed only if tigers establish territories, reproduce, survive and maintain genetic diversity, while local communities participate in conservation.
Tiger Reintroduction Programme
- Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal is reintroducing tigers after their local population declined sharply.
- The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), West Bengal Forest Department and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) collaborated on the programme.
- The first Royal Bengal tigress, brought from Bihar, has been released in Buxa.
- Seven tigers are planned to be relocated over two years.
Ecological Challenges
- Buxa is surrounded by settlements, revenue villages and tea estates, causing habitat fragmentation.
- Railway infrastructure and commercial traffic through the reserve create additional disturbance.
- Dense closed-canopy forests have reduced grassland availability.
- Declining herbivore populations, particularly chital, reduce the availability of natural prey for tigers.
- Tigers may therefore increasingly depend on goats, cattle and macaques, increasing the risk of human–wildlife conflict.
Conservation Measures
- Since 2018, authorities have reintroduced chital to strengthen the prey base.
- Some forest canopies have been artificially opened to encourage grassland regeneration.
- Villagers have been relocated from the core area to reduce human–wildlife conflict.
- However, conservation measures must balance ecological objectives with the rights and livelihoods of forest-dependent communities.
From Preventive to Reactive Conservation
- Project Tiger, launched in 1973, initially focused on protecting habitats, prey populations and wildlife corridors before populations collapsed.
- Buxa represents a more reactive approach, similar to interventions in Sariska and Panna after tiger populations declined severely.
- Reintroduction demonstrates technological and administrative capacity but can be expensive and intervention-intensive.
- Conservation should focus on preventing ecological degradation rather than waiting for tiger populations to disappear.
Conditions for Long-Term Success
- Success should not be measured merely by the number of tigers released.
- Reintroduced tigers must establish territories, reproduce and raise surviving cubs.
- Natural movement of tigers through connected forests can maintain genetic diversity.
- Buxa's connection with Phibsoo in Bhutan and Manas in Assam makes wildlife corridors important.
- Local communities should participate in conservation decisions, conflict prevention and livelihood protection.
- Continuous ecological monitoring is essential so that authorities can act before further deterioration occurs.
Conclusion
Tiger conservation should move beyond simply increasing tiger numbers. Healthy prey populations, connected habitats, safe wildlife corridors and reduced human disturbance are equally important. Conservation measures should also recognise the rights and livelihoods of forest-dependent communities. Buxa demonstrates that reintroduction works best when supported by long-term ecological monitoring, habitat restoration and community participation rather than being treated as a standalone rescue measure.
Descriptive question:
Tiger reintroduction can restore declining populations, but its success depends on habitat quality and community participation. Discuss the challenges involved in tiger conservation in India. (150 words, 10 marks)