The recent seizure of a melanistic tiger’s skin does not augur well for Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve for two reasons. One, Similipal is the only place in the world where big cats with such a genetic mutation are found, and two, it is a low-density tiger habitat. This was the second such seizure in 15 months, which means poaching is thriving in the national park despite heightened surveillance.
In the latest case, a forest department team seized the hide from a group trying to sell it. Preliminary investigation shows the tiger was killed about a month back. Nine persons have been arrested and efforts are on to establish the poachers’ modus operandi. Of the nine tiger deaths reported in Odisha over the last four years, most were from the larger Similipal landscape.
Similipal’s tigers have a chequered history. From a stable population in the 1990s, they witnessed a near-collapse in the mid-2000s when Maoist activities were at their peak. Despite efforts, the national park remained a low-density habitat and its in-bred tiger population was always marked as vulnerable. That’s why the National Tiger Conservation Authority suggested supplementation to strengthen the gene pool and two tigers were brought in from the Tadoba-Andhari reserve in Maharashtra in 2024.
According to the census conducted last year, Similipal was home to 32 tigers, 19 of which were pseudo-melanistic in nature. One of the largest and oldest tiger reserves in the country, Similipal is spread over 2,745 sq km and its landscape poses a stiff challenge for the park’s managers. The reserve’s porous boundary dotted with human habitations has always attracted poachers, who use the area’s forest-dependent population to do their bidding. Their illegal network in the habitat is also marked by elephant and leopard poaching.
Over the last couple of years, the government has armed the reserve’s managers with increased surveillance support. Intrusion has been detected and firearms seized with the help of some of the 220 AI-enabled cameras installed. But clearly, gaps exist in the security cordon. The future of Odisha’s tigers is heavily dependent on Similipal, as it holds the state’s entire population. That’s why the government must spare no effort in keeping its big cats together and safe.