Kolkata, Sep 7 (PTI) A perception survey among communities living on the fringes of Buxa Tiger Reserve in north Bengal has found broad support for the proposed reintroduction of tigers, although safety concerns could pose a challenge to the ambitious conservation project, an official said on Monday.
The findings of the survey conducted by a non-profit organisation across more than 70 villages come at a time when authorities are preparing to bring a tigress from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve to Buxa, with around 10-12 more tigresses shortlisted for the proposed translocation.
One tigress will eventually be selected and captured for release in Buxa, tentatively scheduled for October 2, a forest official said.
The survey, conducted by the SNAP Foundation with the support of Buxa Tiger Reserve and the West Bengal Forest Department, covered 56 of the reserve’s 64 Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs), representing an estimated 280 respondents.
Eight JFMCs could not be reached due to time constraints.
“The survey clearly shows that there is apprehension among a section of forest-fringe communities about their safety, but this has not translated into widespread opposition to tiger reintroduction,” the forest official said.
Several respondent JFMCs said they would feel unsafe while moving through forest areas, highlighting the need for adequate safeguards, awareness and conflict-mitigation measures before tigers are brought to the reserve.
Only 14.3 per cent of respondents said they would continue to oppose the reintroduction even if adequate safety measures are put in place, an official said, quoting the survey.
“Respondents unanimously agreed on the importance of ensuring that future generations get an opportunity to see tigers in Buxa,” he said.
The official said the findings would be important while planning the reintroduction, particularly in strengthening community participation and preparing residents for possible human-tiger interactions.
Community awareness, volunteer training, rapid response mechanisms and other conflict-mitigation measures would be crucial to ensure that the tiger reintroduction programme progresses with the support of people living around the reserve, he added.
The survey also indicated that perceptions about tiger absence and forest safety could be influenced either by an information gap or by genuine concerns about prevailing forest conditions, particularly in the eastern division, where tigers have historically been absent, the official said.
The Bihar forest department, along with a Wildlife Institute of India (WII) team, has completed a preliminary assessment at Valmiki Tiger Reserve and shortlisted around 10-12 tigresses for the Buxa project, another Bengal forest official said.
The final selection process is expected to begin days before the proposed October 2 release.
The project is being supported through funds under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger and Project Elephant for 2025-26 to 2028-29.
The first instalment of around Rs 32 crore was released to West Bengal in June, while Buxa’s share is around Rs 1 crore, the official said. PTI SUS MNB
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