A three-year-old tigress named T138 was released into West Bengal's Buxa Tiger Reserve on October 2, marking a major step in the reserve's tiger revival.

The tigress was translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar and airlifted by an Indian Air Force C130J aircraft to Hasimara before being moved by road to Buxa.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari released the tigress into a 2.2-hectare soft enclosure. She is fitted with a GPS collar for monitoring.

The release coincided with the launch of National Wildlife Week.

Buxa's tiger story is one of loss and attempted recovery. The 2018 all-India tiger census recorded zero tigers in the reserve, once a stronghold.

The translocation follows years of habitat preparation. Officials say Buxa now has adequate prey base and protection to support tigers again.

More translocations are planned if T138 settles well. The soft enclosure will let her acclimatise before full release into the wild.

Conservationists have welcomed the move but caution that long-term success depends on sustained protection and corridor connectivity.