Bhubaneswar: India is home to nearly 75% of world's tiger population, with an estimated tiger count of 3682, as per the survey report tabled by Union MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh in Parliament last November. While government data suggests that the tiger population is increasing in India at a rate of 6 per cent every year; in Odisha, the big cats unfortunately are facing the threat of extinction.
The state government's tiger conservation efforts have taken a hit as poaching and natural causes are threatening the survival of these big cats in Similipal Tiger Reserve. Odisha's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) for Wildlife, Prem Kumar Jha, informed that Similipal has lost three tigers in last several months.
April 30, 2023: A tiger succumbed to injuries after a territorial fight with another tiger.
February 6, 2024: Another tiger died due to a liver infection.
PCCF informed that postmortem reports of both these tigers have confirmed the cause of the death.
In another incident two months ago, a black melanistic tiger cub, separated from its mother, fell victim to poachers in Similipal. "It is believed that the poachers took advantage when the forest department team was busy monitoring Yamuna and Zeenat's movements. Ten people have been arrested in this connection and six guns have been seized. The prime accused is still at large. The forest department officials tracked down the poachers with the help of images captured on the AI cameras," PCCF Jha said.
Odisha Goes Tech-Way To Prevent Poaching
The Wildlife PCCF said, "Forest department has ramped up vigilance in Similipal. We have installed 100 AI cameras, 100 AR cameras, and 850 trap cameras to monitor the entire area. In the last six months, 27 poaching cases have been reported. Following investigation, 100 people were arrested and 86 guns seized. In the coming days, 150 more cameras will be installed along with deployment of a platoon of police force to strengthen protection measures in Similipal," Jha explained.
Will Zeenat Return To The Wild?
Sharing updates on Tigress Zeenat, PCCF Jha said, "Zeenat is now in an enclosure. Two NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) experts are currently in Similipal assessing her condition. Whatever they recommend regarding Zeenat's future, steps will be taken accordingly. We hope that Zeenat can be released back into the wild in the next one to two months. Similarly, Yamuna is being taken care of in the Kuldiha sanctuary."
According to Odisha’s first tiger census report of 2024, the state had 30 tigers and eight cubs. Of these, 27 adults and eight cubs were in Similipal. This apart, isolated sightings in Keonjhar, Paralakhemundi and Hirakud forests indicate a limited spread of the tiger population outside Similipal.
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