BHUBANESWAR/BARIPADA: Skin and other body parts of a rare melanistic tiger, unique to the Similipal landscape, were seized by forest officials from the possession of four persons in the fringe villages of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj district.
A special enforcement wing of the Similipal south wildlife division conducted a raid on January 12 when the tiger hide was seized in Tentula village, while nails were recovered earlier from another accused in Balighat.
The seizure of the skin has again pointed to the threat the striped predators face in Simipal, the biggest tiger reserve in the state.
PCCF (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden Prem Kumar Jha said the joint task force (JTF) of the wildlife wing is investigating the matter along with the STR team. “The JTF has been asked to submit its report to the government at the earliest,” he said.
Field director of STR Prakash Chand Gogineni said the skin appears to be one year old and is probably that of a sub-adult tiger. “The accused confessed it to be of a male tiger. However, it will be verified after the sample is examined by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Centre for Wildlife Health at OUAT,” he said.
Gogineni said the melanistic tiger skin was traced following links of a previous arrest of six persons and seizure of tiger nails from their possession.
After AI cameras detected their movement in the core area of Similipal, the STR officials apprehended the accused and recovered the nails along with five rifles from their possession on December 11. Further investigation led to seizure of the tiger skin and more nails from other accused, Gogineni said.
The accused were identified as Ajambar Naik, Pitambar Naik and Rama Naik, all from Tentula village, and Bairam Murmu from Balighat, under Udala police limits of Baripada forest division in Mayurbhanj district.
Preliminary investigation of the STR found involvement of all the accused in illegal poaching and trade of wildlife items. “The case is under investigation and other accused linked to the case are absconding. The source of the tiger can be ascertained after arrest of the absconding accused,” said divisional forest officer of Similipal south division Samrat Gowda.
The PCCF (wildlife) said formation of Similipal Tiger Protection Force, JTF, creation of a dedicated Similipal Wildlife Intelligence Network (SWIN) and use of AI-integrated surveillance cameras have strengthened protection measures.
Meanwhile, all the suspects were forwarded to court and are now in judicial custody, said an official from the STR.
As per the All Odisha Tiger Estimation (AOTE) 2023-24, released last year, the big cat count in Simipal stood at 27 which included 13 melanistic tigers. These rare big cats with distinctive dark stripe patterns are the only population of melanistic tigers in the state as well as the world.