BHUBANESWAR: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has called for strong measures against poaching to prevent the big cat population from getting wiped out in Odisha.Though India has experienced a growth of 6.1 per cent in its tiger population with the most notable increase observed in Central India and the Shivalik hills and Gangetic plains, the survival of the apex predator in Odisha continues to remain an area of concern, underlined NTCA in its ‘Status of Tiger Report 2022’.
The NTCA had underlined that the tiger population in the state, at present, is facing serious threats from poaching activities. “Immediate action is required to combat poaching and protect the remaining tigers in Odisha, as failure to do so may lead to the extinction of this population,” the report stated.It suggested efforts must be made to strengthen anti-poaching measures and raise awareness about the importance of tiger conservation in the state to ensure their survival.
Odisha has witnessed a constant decline in its big cat population which has reduced by more than half in the last 16 years. The population which was around 45 in the state in 2006 declined to 20 in the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) - 2022. The report also stated that though forests of Odisha account for 39.31 per cent of the state’s total geographical area, tiger occupancy in Odisha has significantly declined since the countrywide estimation began in 2006. Tiger presence was not recorded in Satkosia as well as Sunabeda and Kotagarh wildlife sanctuaries, which were previously occupied by the big cats, it stated.
The report pointed out that effective management practices helped in increasing the tiger population in Similipal but the recent poaching and operation of armed poacher gangs is a cause of concern, especially after the killing of two forest staff.
“Wild ungulate recovery and stringent protection measures are crucial for the revival of the tiger population in Satkosia Tiger Reserve and Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary while deploying armed special tiger protection forces in Similipal is necessary to effectively combat poaching activities and ensure the safety of wildlife and personnel within the reserve,” the NTCA suggested.
PCCF Wildlife SK Popli, however, said a number of measures including the formation of a special striking force, joint task force, immunity to forest staff under CrPC section 197 and deployment of over 100 armed police have already been taken to crack down on poachers and strengthen conservation measures in Similipal and other forest landscapes.
He pointed out that the state’s tiger population is expected to be more than what has come out in the report as the NTCA exercise carried out in 2021-22 didn’t include cubs in the head count.“This is a standard practice. However, we have six to eight such cubs that have grown sub-adult in this period and their inclusion will certainly increase the number. We are hopeful the exercise we plan to launch from October will give a better figure,” the PCCF said.