BARIPADA: Member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Debabrata Swain on Saturday called for increasing habitat size, particularly bamboo forests, to boost the population of big cats in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).
Speaking during the World Wildlife Day here, he said it has been found that STR does not have enough bamboo forests. A mother tiger is finding it difficult to save her cubs in the absence of bamboo forests as the male tiger has tendency to kill them, he added. The NTCA is introducing M-STRiPES (Monitoring System For Tigers-Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) mobile app to track the movement of wildlife.
Regional Chief Conservator of Forest (RCCF) and Field Director of STR M Mohan said steps are being taken to relocate the villages in the Similipal forest, while poaching, deforestation and artificial forest fire have posed serious challenges for wildlife conservation.
A rally was organised in Baripada town to create awareness among the people on protecting wildlife.
Among others, Deputy Director of STR Jagyandatta Pati, Baripada Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Swayam Kumar Mallik, members of Vana Surakshya Samiti (VSS) and Eco-Development Committee (EDC) under Baripada, Rairangapur and Karanjia forest divisions, environmentalists and students were present.