Tiger Escapes from Bengal Reserve by Digging Under Concrete Wall

A tigress appears to have gone to extraordinary lengths to reunite with a potential mate, escaping from a secure enclosure by digging beneath a concrete wall. The three-year-old tigress, named Rani, was brought from Bihar to West Bengal in October as part of efforts to increase the tiger population in the state. She was housed in an enclosure at Buxa Tiger Reserve. On Sunday afternoon, officials discovered that she had escaped. Despite a concrete foundation extending around four feet below the enclosure fence, Rani reportedly dug a tunnel beneath it and made her way out. Forest officials launched a search operation involving around 60 personnel and three trained elephants, known as kumki elephants, to track her down.

This is not the first time Rani has escaped from the reserve. She reportedly fled just two weeks after being brought there and was traced near a river in Assam after nearly 13 days before being brought back. Officials suspect that Rani may have formed a bond with a male tiger in the forests of Assam during her earlier escape. They believe she could have escaped again in an attempt to reach the male tiger. Search teams are continuing efforts to locate the tigress.