July 29th 2024.
Baripada, a small town in Mayurbhanj district, is about to welcome two new guests - two Royal Bengal tigresses. The Similipal Tiger Reserve, where they will be brought, is facing a unique challenge. The reserve is home to a large number of melanistic tigers, or black tigers, which has led to a lack of genetic diversity among the tiger population. In order to address this issue, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests had applied for the introduction of new tigresses from outside the reserve. After three months of waiting, the National Tiger Conservation Authority has given the green light for the mission to proceed. All that is left now is for the Central technical team to issue an order, and the process will begin.
With a current population of 39 Royal Bengal tigers, of which 50% are melanistic tigers, the Forest Department is hopeful that the addition of these two tigresses will not only increase the overall tiger population, but also improve the genetic diversity in the reserve. In the past, the Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary was known to be home to hundreds of tigers. However, due to poaching and other factors, the 2004 census revealed the presence of only four Royal Bengal tigers - three females and a male black tiger. It was only after the birth of melanistic tiger cubs, resulting from the mating between the male black tiger and female tigers, that the population began to grow again.
The 2014 census showed a rise in the tiger population, with a total of eight tigers. But it was the 2023 census that truly surprised everyone. The report indicated the presence of 27 adult Royal Bengal tigers and eight cubs in Similipal. To confirm these numbers, the state government conducted a fresh census and found a total of 12 cubs and 27 adult Royal Bengal tigers through trap cameras in the sanctuary. However, there was a significant number of melanistic tigers among them, as noted by Regional Chief Conservator of Forests and project director of STR, Prakash Chand Gogineni. This change in color among the tigers caught the attention of experts, leading to a team from the National Centre for Biological Science in Bangalore to conduct a review. After collecting samples of feces, vomit, pug marks, and scratches made by the tigers, they concluded that unnatural births and other factors may have contributed to the change in color.
The Forest Department suspects that the birth of tiger cubs from a single male tiger may be the cause of the increase in melanistic tigers. To combat this, they have decided to bring in female tigers from other forests. This, along with the increase in the overall tiger population, will help improve the genetic diversity among the tigers in Similipal. However, there are doubts among wildlife experts about the success of this move. The idea of bringing tigers from other states and releasing them in Odisha forests was first introduced in 2017. The first tiger, Mahavir, was brought from Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh in June 2018. Later, a tigress named Sundari was also brought from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh and released in Satkosia. To ensure their safety, the Forest officials fitted radio collars on their necks to track their movements. Unfortunately, four months later, Mahavir's carcass was found in the jungle, leading to suspicions of poaching. Sundari, on the other hand, strayed into nearby villages and became a maneater, eventually being sent back to Madhya Pradesh in 2021.
Former honorary wildlife warden Bhanumitra Acharya, along with other experts, have expressed doubts about the impact of bringing in the two tigresses on the existing tigers and wildlife in STR. Despite these concerns, the Forest Department remains hopeful that the introduction of these two tigresses will have a positive impact on the reserve, and help enhance the genetic diversity of the tiger population in Similipal.
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