The government of India is taking a major step in the conservation of tigers by reintroducing tigers in the Buxa Tiger Reserve from the nearby tiger-dominated forests of similar landscapes. This reintroduction brings back tigers in this, one of the most beautiful and promising tiger conservation landscapes.
Buxa Tiger Reserve is located in the Duars of West Bengal, near the border of Bhutan. It became the 15th tiger reserve of India in the year 1983. The forests of Buxa are mainly moist forests, which primarily constitute Sal Forest, moist mixed deciduous forests, evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, savannah forests, and riverine forests. Because of the diversity of habitat, the area supports a wonderful array of wildlife, which includes more than 400 species of birds, elephants, gaur, sambar, and hog deer. The forests of Buxa serve as a corridor for tigers and elephants connecting the forests of Bhutan and northwest Assam.
Earlier it was a stronghold of tigers, but in the last few censuses the numbers have gone down drastically, and the forest department is now working hard to make it suitable again for the tigers by releasing more prey base, strengthen the monitoring and anti-poaching network and then a few tigers from Valmiki, Kaziranga, and Manas tiger reserves.
The tiger reintroduction has been done previously in India in two of the tiger reserves, Panna and Sariska, which lost all of their tigers due to poaching, and after reintroduction and strict protection measures, the population of tigers bounced back, and now both reserves are having a good tiger population as per the last census.
Mr. Vibhav Srivastava is a seasoned wildlife biologist and ecotourism professional with over 20 years of experience across wildlife research, forest management, conservation education, and sustainable tourism in India.
Currently at Nature Safari India, he curates immersive wildlife experiences, leads conservation communication, and designs educational outreach programs. His expertise spans both in-situ and ex-situ conservation, with extensive field work in all major wildlife landscapes of Central, Northern, Eastern, and Southern India. Notable contributions include all-India tiger monitoring with the Wildlife Institute of India, community-based conservation initiatives, and training forest staff and nature guides.
He has held key roles with RARE India, National Zoological Park (New Delhi), Le Passage to India, Tiger Protection Group, and served as Chief Naturalist at Kanha National Park, deepening his expertise in biodiversity conservation and human-wildlife interactions.
An accomplished educator and communicator, Mr. Srivastava has delivered over 30 lectures at prestigious institutions including Delhi University, BHU, Amity University, and IITTM. He is a published author and researcher, with co-authored books, scientific publications, and paper presentations at national seminars. His work consistently bridges conservation science, community engagement, and responsible tourism.
He holds a Master’s degree in Botany, has received professional training from the Wildlife Institute of India, and was nominated among the top five naturalists in India for the TOFT Best Naturalist Award.
