KOLKATA/JALPAIGURI: Two back-to-back tiger sightings inside the Buxa Tiger Reserve this month, claimed the foresters, will silence the critics who have always said that tigers in this north Bengal forest have remained only on paper. But this has once again reinforced the need to lay camera traps in this tiger park to back such claims. There have been several reports of tiger sighting by both villagers and forest staff of the reserve. But the authorities have so far failed to take photographs to justify the sightings. This time, sightings were reported from the Kartika forest under north Raidak range earlier this month. Confirming the report, BTR (east) deputy field director Bhaskar JB said: "A villager from the Kanjulibasti had entered the forest opposite the Raidak river on July 2 for livestock grazing when he sighted the tiger. Soon, he rushed to the local range office and gave the description, from which it seemed he had really sighted a tiger." Further confirmation came the next day when a full-grown tiger appeared before forest guard Maina Chetri while he was on patrol at Tiamari, close to the Kartika forest, under the same range. "We believe it's the same tiger that was sighted by the villager the previous day," added Bhaskar. Buxa veteran Tara Thapa, who has spent several years in the reserve, said the place is only a few kilometres from the Kalikhola forests in Bhutan. "Hence, chances are high that it can be a dispersing tiger that has migrated from the Bhutan forests. It may not be a resident tiger," added Thapa, who is also the physical instructor at the forest training centre in Rajabhatkhawa. According to the DFD, due to heavy rain the pug marks were washed away and the foresters were left with no proof to back their claims. Meanwhile, chief wildlife warden NC Bahuguna said the department was planning to conduct an extensive camera trap exercise, on the lines of the recently-concluded study in the Sunderbans, to put to rest the controversy over the presence of tigers in Buxa. "We have asked the WWF officials to conduct a feasibility study," Bahuguna added. Hailing the move, conservationist Joydip Kundu said such an exercise at a time when two successive sightings have been reported will give a new dimension to the population status of the big cats in Buxa. Sources said only three months back, a full-grown tiger was sighted in the forests of Chuniajhora under the Hatipota range. "Tiger sightings are reported every month by our forest guards. I am not interested in what the critics are saying since I know that there are tigers in Buxa," said field director of the reserve RP Saini. A recent scat analysis report has confirmed that Buxa is home to 20 tigers, of which four are female. Share your views More from The Times of India Unused oil rig turns into underwater Garden of Eden 11 Jul 2013 4 Pahariya girls dragged out of hostel, raped by 25 drunk men 16 Jul 2013 Cronje took Rs 1.2 crore to fix matches: Delhi Police 23 Jul 2013 Naked woman distracts man as he gets robbed 11 Jul 2013 From Around the Web Shark born with two heads discovered in The Gulf of Mexico Your Jewish News Top 5 homophobes who turned out to be gay Dressing Room Tai Chi for the Immune System Good Reads How to Kill A Persuasive Speech With One Tiny Word Business 2 Community Recommended by Educational Expo in Nepal Educatusexpo.com - Get On the Spot Admission Now. Top 100 Colleges, Under One Roof! Ads by Google ALSO ON TOI Landslides in Nagaland, NH-39 ...Hyderabad: Several killed afte...Anti-social elements are rulin...Prayer is chief minister's ans...Dubai pardons woman at center ...A real stinker on Capitol Hill...Clashes, protests erupt across...Crowds mob Pope on first inter...Plane's nose gear collapses in...Prince William's wife Kate giv...Congress distances itself from...Potholes in Vasai claim 48-yea...China quake: Rescue operations...Exclusive: Army report reveals...Gulshan Kumar's brother named ... (Source : Times of India)