Baripada: The Similipal National Park has once more been transformed into a haven for wild animals with the clampdown on poachers. Now species of various animals and birds can be seen spotted regularly inside the forest. Recently a video of a Royal Bengal Tiger roaming inside the park has been posted on ‘X’ by the Forest department. Officials said that ranger Sisir Behera shot the video footage of the tiger while on patrol. No doubt, wildlife enthusiasts are happy with the news. In the video, the tiger can be seen exposing its huge mouth and teeth as it slowly licks its nails. A joint task force has been formed for providing protection to the animals inside the Similipal National Park.
Since the formation of the team, poachers have more or less disappeared from the park and killing of animals has decreased substantially, officials said. The joint task force team (police included) is conducting raids frequently in the vicinity of the park to flush out the poachers. A number of poachers have been arrested. The team has also seized 165 country-made guns and other weapons used by poachers to kill animals. An illegal gun factory in the vicinity of the forest has also been sealed. With the threat of poachers diminishing, the wildlife is also flourishing inside the park.
Not only tigers, Forest department personnel have shot videos of various other animals and different species of birds. Officials said that two years ago a tigress gave birth to four cubs. The animal seen in the video is one of them. The tiger has been named T-19, they added. Similipal Tiger Conservation Project and chief wildlife conservator Prakash Chand Gogineni said Monday that the tiger population can certainly grow as there is plenty of food available for them. Animal lovers are also expecting such a thing to happen. As per the last national tiger census report, there are 20 tigers inside the Similipal National Park. The report also states that if the food chain is maintained properly there is every possibility of the numbers increasing in Similipal.