Alipurduar: The Forest department is set to install 400 trap cameras across the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) this winter to bolster surveillance of tigers and other wildlife. The installation process will begin in December, officials said.
Authorities of the Buxa Tiger Reserve confirmed that 400 new cameras will be placed across the reserve’s two divisions—almost double the number installed last year. The annual winter monitoring exercise typically begins in December and this year the work is scheduled to commence within the next 15 days.
“We will be installing far more cameras than last year. Several of the previous units were damaged and new ones have already been procured. This will help us strengthen monitoring efforts further,” said Debashis Sharma, Deputy Field Director of BTR.
According to Forest department sources, 210 trap cameras were set up last year, while around 180 were used the previous year. With the substantial rise in the number of devices this time, more forest personnel will be deployed for monitoring duties. Officials noted that limited camera availability in earlier years forced them to rotate the devices frequently. This winter, however, the cameras will remain fixed in each location for nearly four months.
Trap cameras are installed every winter and removed before the monsoon. As rainfall usually begins in April, this year’s units will be taken down in March, officials said.
The cameras have previously recorded rare tiger sightings in Buxa.