Bengal’s wildlife sector has been jolted by two major incidents — the deaths of two tigresses at Alipore Zoo within 48 hours, and a Royal Bengal Tiger attack in the Sundarbans that left a fisherman missing.

Shockwaves rippled through Alipore Zoo after tigresses Rupa (21) and Payal (17) died on consecutive days, creating mystery and deep concern.

Zoo authorities and officials at Aranya Bhavan initially attributed the deaths to age-related ailments, but with both animals passing away so close together, questions of negligence have surfaced.

A three-member veterinary team has been tasked with carrying out postmortem examinations at Alipore Animal Hospital on Thursday. The process, officials said, will be videographed for transparency.

“We will take special measures to ensure such incidents do not happen again,” a zoo official assured, while confirming that an investigation committee has been constituted. Final autopsy reports are expected to clarify the cause of the tigresses’ sudden demise.

Mystery deepens, wildlife lovers express concern

The twin deaths have worried wildlife experts and animal lovers, who are demanding answers. Many have pointed to the need for stricter monitoring of captive animal care and preventive measures.

“This is not just about old age — we must rule out negligence and systemic issues,” said one conservationist, urging the zoo to release detailed health histories of the tigresses.

Even as the zoo reeled from tragedy, the Sundarbans witnessed a chilling incident. On Tuesday afternoon, fisherman Chiranjit Mandal (32) of Kalidaspur, South 24 Parganas, was attacked while catching fish in Burirdabri forest with two companions.

Eyewitnesses recounted how a Royal Bengal Tiger leapt from the mangroves onto their boat, bit Chiranjit by the neck, and dragged him deep into the forest. His companions, terrified and helpless, only managed to return to their village on Tuesday night to report the attack.

The forest department launched a massive search operation on Wednesday, deploying drones and thermal cameras in Burirdabri.

“Despite intensive efforts, Chiranjit has not yet been found. His family and villagers are devastated,” a forest official confirmed.

Bengal’s wildlife under the spotlight

The back-to-back tiger-related tragedies — captive deaths at the zoo and a fatal attack in the Sundarbans — have cast a dark shadow over Bengal’s wildlife landscape.

They highlight two critical concerns–the fragility of conservation efforts in captivity, where care and monitoring must be foolproof, and the perilous human–tiger conflict in the wild, where fishing communities remain vulnerable despite years of awareness campaigns.

With investigations and searches ongoing, Bengal’s wildlife managers face renewed pressure to strengthen both zoo management and community safety protocols in tiger territories.

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