Tigers Are Not Bound By Political Boundaries

Wild tigers, free from political boundaries, are bound to migrate to optimal habitats, as evidenced by Dooars Rani, a tigress released in Bengal's Buxa Tiger Reserve. The Chief Minister's decision led her to wander into neighboring Assam's Raimona National Park. Buxa, once a prime attraction for tigers, now faces a staggering shortage of resident tigers and has been labeled a cautionary tale in tiger conservation efforts.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) reports only one tiger in the reserve's Mahananda area, based on 2022 data. NTCA advocates for free movement and security for tigers across contiguous reserves like Manas, Neora, Buxa, and Mahananda, where the estimated tiger density is 61 individuals. Dooars Rani, brought from Bihar and the first of four planned releases, followed her instincts by crossing political boundaries to reach Raimona.

For Bengal to successfully repopulate Buxa, it must prioritize enhancing prey availability and reducing human pressures that negatively impact tiger populations. The state forest minister's proposal to cage Dooars Rani due to proximity to Diwali cracker blasts is a misguided approach, as tigers should not be confined like showpieces in political boundaries.

Conservation efforts must recognize that reserves cannot be treated as large zoos and that environmental governance should not prioritize rampant forest clearance, road construction, and mining over robust prey numbers and extensive ranges for large carnivores like tigers and cheetahs. With tiger reserves occupying just 5% of protected land, surrounded by significant human pressures, governments must commit to preserving sanctuary integrity, including buffer zones, to maintain prey bases and prevent escalating human-animal conflicts.