Patna: A tigress from Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran was successfully rescued on Tuesday after a 14-day operation in the Manguraha forest area.
A special rescue team tranquilised the tigress near Compartment No. 70 in the Jasouli forest and safely brought her under control. A health examination was being conducted at the site following the rescue.
No outsiders were allowed to enter the forest area during the operation. After the health check, the tigress was being transported by a special ambulance to the Manguraha office.
Tigress To Be Shifted To Buxa Tiger Reserve
The forest department is preparing to relocate the tigress to Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal.
According to VTR Field Director Gaurav Ojha, the tigress will be taken to Gorakhpur and then transported by air to West Bengal.
The plan is to release the tigress into Buxa Tiger Reserve on October 2, subject to the required health assessment and relocation arrangements.
Ojha said he would accompany the tigress during the journey.
Cattle Kill Helped Team Track Her Location
Rain had slowed the rescue operation during the previous four days. With the weather improving, the team intensified its efforts.
The tigress killed a cattle animal placed by the rescue team on Monday night. Investigators subsequently used pugmarks found around the site to track her movements and identify the area where she was staying.
The information helped the team prepare its final rescue strategy.
Five Machans, Drones And Night-Vision Cameras Used
Around 100 personnel remained in the forest for 24-hour monitoring during the final phase of the operation.
Considering the difficult weather and forest conditions, elephants were also used during the operation. Five machans were constructed to help monitor the tigress.
Teams used drones and night-vision cameras to track her movements continuously.
According to information from the rescue operation, specialists tranquilised the tigress at around 5 pm on Tuesday after she entered the designated area.
Specialists From Multiple Locations Joined Operation
The rescue operation involved personnel from VTR, Dehradun, Buxa Tiger Reserve and Delhi.
Heavy rain, dense forest conditions and changes in the tigress’s movements had made the operation challenging.
After 14 days of tracking and monitoring, the team successfully completed the rescue and began preparations for the tigress’s relocation to Buxa Tiger Reserve.
