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| BUXA
TIGER RESERVE | ||||||
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| Animals you will see | ||||||
 The
BTR has a spectacular range of faunal variety. The main carnivores are Indian
tiger, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Hog Badger, Jungle Cat, Leopart Cat, Sloth Bear,
Himalayan Black bear, Fishing cat, Civet cat, Jackal, M ongoose,
Fox, Wild dog etc.The prominent harbivores are Elephant, Gaur, Sambar, Chital, Barking deer, Hog deer, Wild Pig, Hispid hare etc. Many other animals like Porcupines, Rhesus Macaque, Squirrels, Common Pangolin and Chinese Pangolin are also frequently seen in the forests. Tortoise, Lizards, Snakes like the King Cobra, Russel Viper, Banded Crait, Indian Python and reticulated Python are the reptiles of the region. | ||||||
| Birdwatching | ||||||
 A
rich and varied avifauna is found here which comprises of Great Indian Pied Hornbill,,
Jungle Maina, Indian Magpie Robin, Red Jungle Fowl, Woodpecker, Nightjar, Moonal
Pheasant, various kinds of teals and ducks andpeacocks, Snake birds, Grey Heron,
Little Egret, Paddy Bird, Cattle Egret etc. | ||||||
| Terrain | ||||||
This picteresque reserve with its Terai, Bhabar and Hilly landscape is dissected by numerous rivers and rivulets. | ||||||
| People | ||||||
| This area is encountered with ethnic diversity of people. | ||||||
| Climate | ||||||
| Hovers between 6 - 32 degrees. The monsoon season is between June to September when one can expect heavy downpours. | ||||||
| Threats faced | ||||||
| Transition
from `Commercial Forestry' to `Conservation Forestry' has not been smooth and
has exposed the forest officers and the staff of BTR to conflict with the people
on many fronts. Reduction in the scale of forestry activities has adversely affected
the employment opportunities for the 20,000 residents of 37 forest villages and
5 hamlets (Fixed Demand Holdings) within the Reserve. Prohibition on dolomite
mining and restrictions on collection of boulders from the Core Area has made
BTR unpopular with a large section of neighbouring population as also with many
sister Departments. The labourers, numbering over 1,50,000 (mostly tribal), of
25 Tea Estates bordering the Reserve have always had a running battle with the
forest staff because of their propensity of hunting. But with drastic cuts in
the supply of firewood to these Tea Estates, labourers now invade the forests
for firewood as well. Frequent straying of elephants, leopards and gaurs into
the Tea Estates and agricultural crops just adds pressure to the already strained
relationship between the Reserve staff and their neighbours. Owners of 26 saw-mills, 45 cane-processing units and 4 veneer factories in the close proximity of BTR have always looked greedily on the resources of the Reserve, and found willing partners among a large number of unemployed or underemployed youth in the fringe villages for plundering these forests. Depletion of conventional pasture lands in the neighbouring villages has brought almost entire pressure of grazing on the Reserve by cattle-an estimated number of one lakh cattle entering the Reserve every day. With grazing comes fire, a serious problem during the dry months in many parts of BTR. There is the problem of honey-combing of the hill forests by the local villagers for growing oranges, where the action taken by the forest staff to regain the forest land has been condemned by the politicians (and surprisingly, by some environmental N.G.O.s as well) as `anti-people'. Market forces have created demands for new products of plants like the bark of Kawla (Machilus spp.) protection of which is becoming a serious problem for the staff. Militancy and the ethnic disturbances in the neighbouring State of Assam has also cast its shadows on BTR by providing cover to the gangs of poachers and timber-smugglers, and creating insecurity among the staff. | ||||||
| Conservation Notes | ||||||
| It
is not difficult to visualise, in the backdrop of the problems and constraints
as enumerated above, that conservation and protection of forests and wildlife
has become a big challenge in BTR. The officers and the staff of BTR sought to
meet this challenge by mobilising their resources and resorting to vigorous policies
and strict enforcement of laws and rules. In the years gone by, they have achieved
spectacular success in some area, yet frustrating failures in many others. The
forest staff did make many a sacrifice, having been subjected to physical assaults,
intimidation, gherao, abuses, court-cases and much more, but got hardly any sympathy
from the general public. The pace of development has also been rather slow, leading
skeptics to question the rationale of continuance of the Tiger Reserve itself.
B) An Integrated approach
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| Projects | ||||||
| The project would conserve bio-diversity by implementing the eco-development strategy in and around seven protected areas (PAs) as well as villages in areas peripheral to the PA. The main objectives at the state level are:
India
Eco-development Project has been launched in Buxa Tiger Reserve in the district
of Jalpaiguri with the assistance of International Development Association and
Global Environment Trust. The work initially started for "Project Preparation
Facility" upto 1996-97. The works, as per approved plan and programme, have started
from 1997-98. This project is continuing for the last 4 years. In the year 1998-99,
the PRA- based micro planning in the 58 villages in the project area was prepared
and approved. | ||||||
| Getting there | ||||||
Air : Bagdogra (175 km.). Coochbehar (30 Km.) Rail: The neareast railhead is at Alipurduar which is 3 kms from the reserve. Road: New Jalpaiguri (175 km) is well connected by buses/jeeps etc with the reserve. | ||||||
| Neighbourhood | ||||||
| The
special attraction of this area is the historical Buxa fort used for detention
during the freedom struggle of India. The dolomite caves locally known as "Mahakal"
attracts numerous tourists and pilgrims with its stalactites and stalagmites. The reserve is fringed by 34 tea gardens in its southern side which also attracts tourists. | ||||||
| Accomodation | ||||||
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| Rest house are also available at Jayanti, Bhutanghat, Silbunglow, Kumargram, Rajabhat Khawa, Nimati and Raimatang. | ||||||
| Best Time for Viewing | ||||||
| The best time to visit the reserve is between November to March. | ||||||
| Useful Tips | ||||||
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| Survival Guide | ||||||
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| Booking Information | ||||||
| Bookings
can be made from the office of the Field Director, Buxa Tiger Reserve Alipurduar Court, Jalpaiguri (736 122). Fax: 55577 Deputy Field Director, Buxa Tiger Reserve(West) Phone: 551129(West) 66005(East) STD code: 03564 West Bengal Tourism Centre Kolkata: 3/2, B.B.D. Bag (East), Kolkata -700 001 Phone: (033) 248 8237, 248 5168 | ||||||
| Click for a Photo Gallery of the Buxa Tiger Reserve | ||||||
