Context
- Three-year-old tigress T138 was translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar to Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, on 2 October 2026, launching the phased effort to restore a self-sustaining tiger population, supported by NTCA and WII through telemetry and camera-trap monitoring.
About Buxa Tiger Reserve
| Feature | Detail |
| Location | Alipurduar subdivision of West Bengal (extending across Terai, Bhabar, and sub-Himalayan ecosystems). |
| Boundaries | Northern boundary runs along the international border with Bhutan; Eastern boundary touches Assam (demarcated by the Sankosh River). |
| Contiguous Landscapes | Contiguous with Bhutan’s Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary to the north and Assam’s Manas Tiger Reserve to the east, forming a vital international transboundary wildlife corridor. |
| Drainage | Drained by trans-boundary rivers originating in Bhutan, notably the Raidak, Sankosh, and Jayanti rivers. |
| Status Timeline | Declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983 (15th tiger reserve in India) and a National Park in 1992. |
Institutional Framework
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
- A statutory body under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, established in 2006.
- Provides technical and financial support for tiger conservation.
- Develops protocols and guidelines for tiger reintroduction and translocation.
- Works with State Governments and WII in tiger recovery programmes.
Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
- Provides scientific and technical expertise in wildlife research and conservation.
- Has collaborated with NTCA in developing frameworks and protocols for tiger conservation and reintroduction.
| Important CTC from this article for UPSC: National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Buxa Tiger Reserve |
Q. Consider the following statements regarding Buxa Tiger Reserve:
1. Buxa Tiger Reserve was established in 1983.
2. It is located in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal.
3. The recent tiger reintroduction programme involves translocation of a tigress from Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar.
4. The National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India are associated with the programme.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
• Statement 1 is correct: Buxa was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983.
• Statement 2 is correct: Buxa Tiger Reserve is located in Alipurduar district, West Bengal.
• Statement 3 is correct: Tigress T138 was translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar, to Buxa.
• Statement 4 is correct: The programme involves scientific and technical support from the NTCA and Wildlife Institute of India (WII).