Bhubaneswar: In what can be considered a good news for the animal lovers, the data of the All Odisha Tiger Estimation 2023-24 has revealed that there are a total of 30 tigers and 8 cubs in the forests of Odisha
It is to be noted there the State of Odisha is a part of Central Indian and Eastern Ghats Landscape and the forest cover accounts for 33.50% of the state’s total geographic area (India State of the Forest Report, 2021). There is one national park, one proposed national park and nineteen wildlife sanctuaries in Odisha.
As per the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE), 2022 report, minimum 17 tigers were camera trapped in Odisha, which was largely confined to Similipal Tiger Reserve.
In order to keep a close track of its tiger population and develop appropriate management strategy, the All Odisha Tiger Estimation (AOTE), 2023-2024 was conducted, which spanned across 47 forest divisions, aimed at much more intensive state-level tiger monitoring.
A State-level field survey was conducted to look for tiger signs such as pugmarks, scrapes, scats, rakes, urine spray, vocalization and livestock depredation. Sites where the direct and indirect signs of tigers were found with certainty, were intensively cameratrapped to arrive at the minimum number of unique adult tigers based on their distinctive stripe pattern. Cameratrap image based identification of tigers is a scientifically accepted methodology and is also used in the All India Tiger Estimation exercises.
A total of 27 unique adult tigers were camera trapped in Odisha during the AOTE exercise, comprising 14 females and 13 males. Evidence of another 3 adult tigers were also seen in the Similipal tiger reserve, which have not been camera trapped.
With 24 adult unique tigers, Similipal Tiger Reserve currently holds the largest share of the state’s tiger population. Similipal currently holds all the adult female tigers of the state. In total, 13 adult tigers (seven females and six males) were found to be pseudomelanistic in Similipal, and no other wild habitat in the world has pseudo-melanistic tigers.
Seven cubs which were of less than 1 year also photo-captured in Similipal. Apart from Similipal, the Hirakud Wildlife Division and Paralakhemundi Territorial Forest Division, each holds one adult male tiger.
Another adult male tiger was also found to utilize Greater Similipal tiger Landscape. The tiger abundance has increased in Odisha from the previous estimate of AITE, 2022. Similipal Tiger Reserve, which currently harbours 27 unique adult individuals, has also witnessed an increase from 16 tigers captured through Camera Traps in 2021-2022. This growth has resulted from strict management actions and scientific conservation practices.
The images of eight unique tiger cubs during AOTE, 2023, indicate a recovering population in Similipal landscape. Similipal is the only place on earth to boast the pseudomelanistic tigers.
The presence of three unique adult male tigers camera-trapped in Hirakud Wildlife Divison, Paralakhemundi Territorial Division, Keonjhar Territorial and Keonjhar Wildlife Division looks promising and provides hope for a better future for tigers in these habitats. Apart from these regions, there is excellent potential for tiger recovery in Satkosia Tiger Reserve and Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary.
Ms Kalinga