BHUBANESWAR: New findings have suggested that forests in Odisha are permeable and acting as sinks to the source population of tigers in Central India landscape.
Initial findings by a group of molecular ecologists of the country reveals tigers from source population in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been dispersing to forests of the state over the years.
Chief wildlife warden Susanta Nanda said the tiger that came to Nandankanan zoo in March 2013 in search of a mate was widely believed to have dispersed from Satkosia. “Named Nandan, the tiger led a healthy life till its death a few months back. Nandan also sired Bahubali, the main attraction of the zoo now. However, new genetic study has proved that it was from Central Indian landscape,” said Nanda.
Besides, the Forest department has evidence of dispersal of two tigers to the state from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in recent times. “One of these big cats has almost stabilised its territory, while the other is in a district which went tigerless for two decades,” he added.
While tolerance of locals to one of these tigers has been found to be satisfactory thereby bringing hope for tiger conservation in the state, the PCCF said the new findings also indicate that Odisha forests are permeable and have been acting as sinks to the source population of tigers from the Central India landscape. He sought cooperation of all the stakeholders in protecting the tiger corridors to allow the big cats to populate in Odisha.
Meanwhile, the Forest department has asked Similipal authorities to submit a detailed project report (DPR) to proceed further with its plan of supplementing the tiger reserve with big cats from Central India landscape and infuse new bloodline to the existing population of the stripped predators in the protected area.
The DPR will be sent to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for its approval. “The DPR will have details including purpose of the supplementation project, relocation and release plan and preparations in this regard,” said a senior forest official.
Once the DPR receives NTCA nod, Similipal will approach the Central India states for reintroduction of big cats to the tiger reserve.
The Forest department has planned to supplement STR with two tigresses from Central India, preferably Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, to improve genetic diversity of the big cats in the protected area. Though Similipal has a unique population of melanistic tigers, in-breeding and a closed population with almost no migratory flow in or out have emerged as a threat for the big cats in the reserve that has no nearby breeding source population.
The department had sought NTCA permission to introduce big cats from other landscapes to improve genetic diversity of this isolated tiger population. After getting approval, it set October 31 deadline for implementation of the project.