Odisha's tiger population rises to 30

Bhubaneswar: Odisha's tiger population rose to 30, which is 10 more than what the figure was two years ago, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced on Monday.

The state currently also has eight cubs but they were not included in the tiger head count as they were less than one year old.

Taking to X handle, Patnaik said: “Glad to share that first All Odisha Tiger Estimation has established the presence of 30 tigers and 8 cubs in the forests of #Odisha, up from 20 reported during 2022. #Similipal Tiger Reserve is now home to 27 tigers."

The three other tigers were found in Hirakud Wildlife Division, Paralakhemundi Territorial Forest Division and Greater Similipal Tiger Landscape.

The chief minister commended the forest department for its sustained efforts to create a hospitable habitat for the national animal to flourish.

Meanwhile, sources said that a total of 27 adult tigers - 14 females and 13 males - were camera-trapped in Odisha during the All Odisha Tiger Estimation exercise.

“Evidence of the presence of another three adult tigers was found in the Similipal tiger reserve. Those three animals have not been camera-trapped,” an official said.

In total, 13 adult tigers - seven females and six males - were found to be pseudo-melanistic in Similipal, the official said.

Pseudo-melanistic tigers appear black as the black stripes are far more prominent than other Royal Bengal Tigers'.

No other wild habitat in the world has such pseudo-melanistic tigers.

The cubs were also photo-captured in Similipal. they said.

The headcount was done between October 15, 2023, to February 10 this year.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority's estimation report for 2022 had put the tiger number of tigers in Odisha at 20.

In 2018, the survey had found 28 tigers in the state.