Tiger Reserves

DEHRADUN: In a bid to save the critically endangered black tigers, the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will offer technical assistance to the Odisha forest department soon. Black tigers - which are also known as melanistic tigers because of a gene defect - are found in the Simlipal National Park in Odisha in the entire world but their numbers have drastically declined. Dr Bivash Pandav , WII scientist claimed that only seven to eight black tigers are left in the state.
WII scientist , YV Jhala said, "Now in the whole Orissa less than 20 tigers are left. If the black tigers among them get extinct, then they can not be replaced on the pattern of Panna and Sariska, where on disappearance of tiger population, new individuals were translocated who successfully bred thereafter." He said, these melanistic (black) tigers are unique in the world for their genetic constitution. So the Odisha government must do all efforts possible for their conservation. He said, it was WII which took account of rapid decline and presence of 28 tiger numbers during the national tiger estimation two years ago.
According to Bivash Pandav, National Tiger Conservation Authority has convened a meeting where the role of WII in conservation of tigers in Odisha will also be mooted. " WII has already been engaged for the same task in Satkosia Tiger Reserve of Odisha. Almost all the villagers except one has been relocated from core area of Simlipal NP. The prey density has shown improvement after relocation," he said.
However he said, the tiger growth in Simlipal would not be as smooth as Chilla range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve where after gujjars' relocation, the tiger number grew remarkably, for the simple reason that there was source population from Corbett Tiger Reserve.
"Simlipal is not connected to any tiger source population. In this hilly region, valley which has grass land is the prime habitat for tigers. I am hopeful as the breeding population with cubs is already surviving there, so once the entire area becomes inviolate with further augmentation in prey density, then only supplementation will be required," he said.
Another WII scientist Rashid Raza said, the tigers number came down from 500 to less than 20 in just two decades in the state. He said, it was quite unfortunate, as the first director of Project Tiger and iconic figure Saroj Rai Chaudhary hailed from Odisha.