The tigress in BTR
Kolkata: After over 32 hours of uncertainty, the radio collar signals of the tigress from Bengal’s Buxa were finally picked up around 11 am on Friday, bringing relief to forest officials involved in the search operation across the Bengal-Assam border. The tigress crossed River Janali in the Gurufela area on the edge of Raimona National Park and subsequently moved towards Narayanpur revenue village, around 18 km from Gosaigaon town and closer to National Highway-31, according to a source. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in Kolkata Stay updated with the latest Kolkata news.
Confirming the development, Bengal forest minister Manoj Oraon said the tigress was “moving south”. She killed a domestic pig in the revenue village and dragged it deep inside the nearby forest, sources said. The operation continued through Friday as teams explored different possibilities behind the sudden loss of signals. The prolonged communication blackout had triggered concerns over possible damage to the satellite radio collar or a battery malfunction. Senior scientist Qamar Qureshi, former professor at Wildlife Institute of India and a member of the expert committee constituted by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to monitor the Buxa tiger reintroduction project, had explained that satellite tracking collars typically last more than a year with transmissions scheduled every three to five hours. He had also pointed out that the collars have a very high frequency (VHF) tracking facility, allowing ground teams to locate the animal even when satellite signals are unavailable. Download the TOI App.
Oraon is leaving for Assam on Saturday to take stock of the search operation. With the tigress going off the radar for hours, an extensive search involving forest officials from Bengal and Assam, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel and drones was launched on Thursday night, said Probeswar Basumatary, general secretary, Raimona Golden Langur Eco-tourism Society.