Syllabus: GS-III
Subject: Environment
Topic: Species Conservation.
Issue: Tiger Conservation.
Context: Tiger missing for 23 years in Buxa National Park, West Bengal, captured on camera, raising hopes for permanent return. Conservation efforts, increased prey, and reduced human interaction contribute to this positive development.Top of Form
Synopsis:
Factors Behind Comeback:
- Increase in prey base, expansion of grasslands, Reduced human interference, introduction of prey like spotted deer, and creation of an ideal habitat contribute to the positive development.
- Plans are underway to relocate villages from the core area to minimize human presence and support conservation efforts.
- “Tiger augmentation and monitoring project” launched in 2018 to enhance tiger population and habitat, in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India and National Tiger Conservation Authority.
- Tigers in neighboring areas like Assam’s Manas Tiger Reserve and Bhutan’s forests contribute to the tiger’s return to Buxa.
Background
Buxa Tiger Reserve:
- located in Alipurduar Sub-division, Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal, was established in 1983 as India’s 15th tiger reserve.
- It attained National Park status in January 1992.
- Positioned along the Bhutan border to the north, it is bordered by the Sinchula hill range and Assam to the east.
Buxa serves as a vital tiger corridor, connecting with Bhutan to the north, Kochugaon forests and Manas Tiger Reserve to the east, and Jaldapara National Park to the west.
The Sankosh, Raidak, Jayanti, and other rivers flow through the reserve.
Conclusion:
The tiger’s return, underscores the success of collaborative conservation efforts. The controlled human disturbance and ongoing initiatives provide hope for the potential establishment of Buxa as a habitat for more tigers in the future.
