Royal Bengal Tigers to grace Tripura’s Sepahijala zoo after five-year hiatus
After a five-year absence, the majestic Royal Bengal tigers are set to return to Sepahijala Zoo in Tripura. Thanks to an animal exchange program approved by the Central Zoo Authority of India, the zoo will receive a pair of these magnificent creatures from the Siliguri Zoo in North Bengal.
The last Royal Bengal tigress at Sepahijala Zoo passed away in 2018, leaving a void in the hearts of many. Since then, the zoo authorities have been actively working to bring back these apex predators to their enclosures.
The exchange program is a win-win situation for both zoos. In addition to the tigers, Sepahijala Zoo will also receive a pair of leopards, a mountain myna, an Indian peacock, a gold pheasant, and a silver pheasant. In return, the North Bengal Zoo will receive a pair of blackbucks and leopard cats along with a lion couple from Tripura’s Sepahijala Zoo.
The Royal Bengal Tiger, a formidable carnivore, is among the largest in the world, weighing over 300 kg and reaching lengths of up to 3.3 meters. Once widespread across Asia, from Russia’s eastern coast to the Caspian Sea in the west, the majestic tiger has been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Deputy Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), K G Roy, announced that the animal exchange with the Siliguri zoo is set to be executed soon if all goes according to plan. The Sepahijala zoo has been eagerly awaiting Royal Bengal tigers, especially since the demise of the last tigress approximately five years ago. Additionally, there is no documented evidence of tiger sightings in the state’s wildlife since 1970, as mentioned by Roy.
Sepahijala Zoo is located in the West Tripura district of Tripura, India. It is home to a variety of animals, including elephants, leopards, deer and primates. The return of the Royal Bengal tigers to Sepahijala Zoo is a positive step towards tiger conservation in the region. It is hoped that this initiative will inspire other zoos and wildlife sanctuaries to play a more active role in protecting these magnificent creatures.
