BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Wildlife Wing is gearing up to roll out the second phase of the tiger supplementation project by introducing another pair of big cats from Central India into the Similipal landscape.
“A male and a female have been planned to be brought to Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in the second phase after necessary approval from the government,” principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) and chief wildlife warden Prem Kumar Jha told TNIE.
Jha said a proposal for the same is being prepared for its submission to the state government following tigress Zeenat’s successful litter of four cubs. After getting the go-ahead, the same will be placed before the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for its approval.
Approval from technical committee of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has already been received for the second phase. “Once we get the green signal from the state government, the process will be expedited,” he said.
In the first phase, Zeenat and Jamuna were brought from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) as studies showed that the landscape possessed one of the best donor population due to its higher genetic diversity and lowest genetic load, Jha said. Besides, the Tadoba landscape also allowed the state to translocate tigers from its core region.
Keeping this in view, TATR will be the preferred choice for supplementation of big cats in the second phase as well, he said.
Zeenat, the four-year-old tigress, brought to Similipal in November 2024 gave birth to four cubs in May, marking a major conservation milestone for the state. The birth increased the number of tiger cubs in Similipal from 12 to 16.
The tiger supplementation programme for genetic rescue of big cats began in STR in 2024. The original plan envisaged introduction of six tigers - five females and one male - over five years. Apart from Similipal, Jha said the government has also received in-principle approval from the NTCA to resume tiger reintroduction programme in Satkosia and steps in this regard will be initiated after reviewing the measures put in place.