Baripada: At least four rare melanistic tigers have been caught on camera in a forest in the state, a report said, Sunday. The matter came to the fore after Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) Susanta Nanda took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and shared a stunning video of the four melanistic tigers of a family. The video of the four rare tigers has been caught in the trap cameras installed inside the forest. The video has spread cheers among nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. The video has been gaining a lot of traction online with social media users falling in love with the sight. It is assumed that the PCCF tweeted about the melanistic tigers after spotting them in Similipal during his visit to the sanctuary.
Social media users also assume that the video of four rare tigers is from Similipal Tiger Reserve despite Nanda’s post in X has no mention of the forest where the tigers were spotted. The tiger census report mentioned the presence of 16 Royal Bengal Tigers in Similipal out of which 10 are melanistic. Residents said that the Centre and state government should join hands and work in tandem to protect wildlife in Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary. However, the growth in the population of melanistic tigers and its protection has concerned wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers. Residents said that not only Royal Bengal Tigers but efforts should be made to protect all the wildlife species failing which the animal population in Similipal will soon be extinct due to loss in food chain of the animals.
Notably, around 10 rare melanistic tigers are seen in Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary in Mayurbhanj district. The Centre in a reply to a question to Rajya Sabha had said that all the melanistic tigers are in Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary in Mayurbhanj district, December 21. The Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Aswini Kumar Choubey had also confirmed in the Parliament that all the melanistic tigers are in Similipal.