Baripada: Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Chief Wildlife Warden Prem Kumar Jha announced on social media platform X that the number of Royal Bengal tigers in Similipal has increased to 40 — a development that has brought joy to wildlife enthusiasts.
Efforts are under way to raise the tiger population to more than 100 by 2036, he added. Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary in Mayurbhanj district, the largest forest area in Odisha, has officially been declared India’s 107th national park. Renowned for its rich biodiversity, medicinal plants, orchids, elephant reserve, and tiger conservation efforts, Similipal holds immense ecological significance. Similipal has received national park status after a gap of 45 years.
With 845.70 square kilometres designated as a protected area, no individual will have proprietary rights over this land. As there are no human settlements in the region, the tiger population is expected to grow, according to Jha.
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Currently, besides the known tigresses ‘Zeenat’ and ‘Jamuna’, there are 40 Royal Bengal tigers in Similipal. These include eight cubs, 13 males, and 17 tigresses. The age classification of two adult Royal Bengal tigers is yet to be confirmed. Of the total population, 18 are melanistic tigers (commonly known as black tigers), comprising nine males and nine tigresses. Over the next decade, the Forest department aims to push the tiger count past 100.
Notably, the 2023 tiger census report released by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) recorded 27 Royal Bengal tigers in Similipal, including eight cubs. A subsequent survey conducted by the state government using trap cameras identified 12 additional cubs, raising the count to 39. The department also confirmed that a significant number of these are melanistic tigers.