By Arindam Ganguly, OP
Bhubaneswar: As the world marks International Tiger Day today (July 29), India — home to over 70 per cent of the global wild tiger population — has a cause to celebrate.
With its tiger population doubling over the past decade to 3,682, the country continues to lead global conservation efforts. Amid this national success, Odisha is beginning to make its own mark, showing both promise and pressing concerns.
Explaining the success story, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Prem Kumar Jha said that the Similipal Tiger Reserve has reported a tiger population of 40, including six cubs, 17 tigresses, and 13 black tigers.
“This marks a notable increase from last year’s count of 27 tigers. This increase comes following the successful breeding of well-known tigresses Zeenat and Jamuna,” he said.
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It is pertinent to mention that the recent count follows the All Odisha Tiger Estimation 2023-24 conducted by the state government, which reported 27 adult tigers and 8 cubs in Similipal. Three more tigers were identified across the Hirakud Wildlife Division, Paralakhemundi Territorial Forest Division, and the Greater Similipal Landscape.
Of extraordinary global significance is Similipal’s population of pseudo-melanistic tigers — a rare variant of Royal Bengal Tigers whose prominent black stripes give them an almost all-black appearance. Thirteen such tigers (7 females, 6 males) have been recorded here, making Similipal the only known natural habitat in the world for this rare genetic variation.
Forest officials, buoyed by increasing tiger activity and sightings of cubs, estimate the tiger population in Similipal could exceed 60 by 2030. Signs such as active territorial marking and increased livestock predation around buffer zones indicate thriving feline activity.
However, challenges remain stark. Despite surveillance efforts, poaching remains a grave threat.
Sanjukta Basa, environmentalist and former honorary wildlife warden, emphasized, “Poaching is still a big market-driven issue. Laws must be stricter to instill fear among offenders.”
Akash Ranjan Rath, wildlife conservationist, stressed the need for restoring tiger corridors and increasing prey density, especially in mining-affected areas like Keonjhar and Sundargarh.
“Low mating success and fragmented habitats threaten long-term tiger sustainability,” he warned.
Biswajeet Panda, founder of Bikash Saathi, highlighted the necessity of community participation. “Illegal poaching by community members in Similipal is a sensitive issue. Conservation must go hand-in-hand with rehabilitation, education, and livelihood support for relocated families,” Panda said.
Purabi Patra of Animal Welfare Trust Ekamra voiced concerns over community hostility. “There have been instances of mobs killing stray big cats. This raises tough questions about the effectiveness of conservation policy.”
Environmental expert Jaya Krushna Panigrahi said, “Megafauna like tigers, lions, and elephants face increasing risks due to poaching and climate change. We need stricter conservation in under-protected areas like Satkosia, Sunabeda, and Debrigarh.”
Meanwhile, Anup Nayak, former Additional Director General of Project Tiger, Government of India, praised Similipal’s conservation success but called for improvement in reserves like Satkosia and Debrigarh, along with the creation of ecological corridors connecting other eastern Indian landscapes.
PNN
