Baripada: At least two Royal Bengal tigresses will be brought soon to the Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj district to bring about a change in the genetic diversity among the tigers of Similipal Tiger Reserve, which is witnessing a sharp rise in the population of melanistic tigers. The National Tiger Conservation Authority has given the go-ahead after the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) applied in this regard three months back. The mission will start soon after a Central technical team issues an order in this regard, sources from the Forest department said.
Sources said the population of Royal Bengal tigers has now reached 39 in Similipal Tiger Reserve. Among them, 50 per cent are melanistic tigers. The Forest Department hopes that bringing these two tigresses will help increase the tiger population in the STR and enhance their genetic diversity. In the past, the presence of hundreds of tigers had been recorded in Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary. However, the 2004 census indicated the presence of only four Royal Bengal tigers — three females and a male black tiger — due to poaching and other reasons. The STR witnessed the birth of melanistic tiger cubs following mating between the black male tiger and female tigers.
Later, the tiger population rose to eight in the 2014 census. However, the census report published in 2023 has sparked surprise as it says 27 adult Royal Bengal tigers and eight cubs are present in Similipal. The state government conducted a fresh census and identified the presence of 12 cubs including 27 adult Royal Bengal tigers through trap cameras in the sanctuary. This took the total tiger headcount to 39 but there are more melanistic tigers among them, Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) and project director of STR Prakash Chand Gogineni said. The change in colour among the Royal Bengal tigers sparked curiosity and surprise among the experts.
An expert team from National Centre for Biological Science at Bangalore rushed to Similipal and conducted a review on changes in colour by collecting samples of feces, vomit, pug marks and scratches made by the tigers. It was concluded that unnatural birth and other reasons might have contributed to the change in colour. Forest officials suspect that the birth of tiger cubs from a single male tiger might be the reason behind the change in colour. As a result, the Forest Department thinks that bringing female tigers from other forests and an increase in the tiger population will help increase the genetic diversity among tigers in Similipal.
However, wildlife experts have expressed doubts about the success of the move. Bringing tigers from other states and releasing them in Odisha forests was first started in 2017. The plan was first launched in Satkosia Tiger Reserve when the tiger Mahavir was brought from Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, June 21, 2018. Later, a tigress Sundari was brought from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh and released at Satkosia. The Forest officials fitted radio collars on their necks to track their movements and for their protection before releasing them at Satkosia. However, four months later, the carcass of the tiger Mahavir was recovered from the jungle, November, 2018. It was then suspected that Mahavir might have died after falling into the trap of poachers.
On the other hand, the tigress Sundari strayed into nearby villages and unleashed a reign of terror in the adjoining areas. Sundari soon became a maneater and the Forest department finally returned her back to Madhya Pradesh in 2021. Former honourary wildlife warden Bhanumitra Acharya and other experts have expressed doubts about the move. They have expressed concerns about the impact of bringing the two tigresses on the existing tigers and wildlife in STR. However, the Forest department hopes that the two tigresses that will be brought from outside will help enhance the genetic diversity of the tiger population in Similipal.