Royal Bengal Tiger spotted at Neora Valley National Park

Darjeeling: There is reason to cheer for people visiting the Neora Valley National Park in the Kalimpong district of North Bengal. The camera traps have captured a Royal Bengal tiger inside the National Park area.

This further negates the National Tiger Conservation (NTC) report stating that there is no presence of Royal Bengal tigers in the districts of North Bengal. The forest department had earlier claimed that there is the presence of Royal Bengal tigers in Neora and Buxa Tiger Reserve in North Bengal.

The forest department has released photographs of a Bengal tiger captured by camera traps in the 6th Mile area of Neora National Park. Prima facie it is the photograph of a healthy, adult male tiger.

The area where the photograph was captured by the camera traps is at an altitude of around 7,500 feet. It is above Lava in the Kalimpong district. The photographs were captured on December 17 and 18 2019, in this area.

Moreover, there have been similar sightings of Royal Bengal tiger in Neora in the past too. On 27 December 2019, camera traps had captured a Bengal Tiger. In 2018 also a Royal Bengal tiger was caught on camera in Neora. Ujjwal Ghosh, Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife (North) said: "We have increased vigilance in the forest. Three more beat offices are coming up to keep a strict tab on poachers." The photograph captured shows the tiger moving downhill. "This is the third consecutive year of tiger sighting in Neora. This further proves that the habitat and environment of Neora is conducive for the Bengal tiger. We will set up more advanced trap cams in Neora and also increase the number of forest guards," said Ravi Kant Sinha, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, West Bengal.