Baripada: Odisha’s wildlife department has moved ahead with preparations for the second phase of tiger translocation to the Similipal Tiger Reserve after the successful relocation of two tigresses from Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in 2024.
Official sources said the state has sought government approval to bring a male and a female tiger from Central India, either Maharashtra or Madhya Pradesh, to further diversify the gene pool of the reserve’s tiger population and support long-term conservation efforts.
A senior government official familiar with the exercise described the proposal as still at a preliminary stage. “A decision in this regard will be taken at the highest level only after detailed deliberations from various aspects,” The Indian Express, quoted the official as saying. Once state approval is obtained, the plan will be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, with the National Tiger Conservation Authority also expected to play a role in the process.
The initiative builds on the carefully planned first phase in which tigresses Zeenat and Jamuna were brought from Tadoba-Andhari to address concerns over genetic isolation.
Similipal, spanning northern Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, is home to India’s only known population of pseudo-melanistic tigers, often called black tigers because of their unusually thick black stripes that merge across their coats. Scientists attribute the prevalence of this trait to generations of geographic isolation and consequent inbreeding, which conservationists have long warned could threaten the population’s long-term health and reproductive success.
Zeenat’s arrival in November 2024 was specifically aimed at introducing fresh genetic material. After an initial period of acclimatisation and some early challenges, including a temporary dispersal that took her across state borders, she settled in the reserve and gave birth to four healthy cubs in May this year, a development officials have hailed as a major milestone. All four cubs remain healthy and are being closely monitored. Jamuna, who arrived a month earlier in October 2024, is yet to find a mate and has moved into the neighbouring Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary.
The proposed second phase is intended to build on this progress by further strengthening genetic diversity and breeding prospects in a landscape where isolation has shaped both the distinctive appearance and the vulnerabilities of its tigers. Wildlife authorities note that maintaining a broader gene pool is essential for the resilience and sustainability of Similipal’s big cat population.
Meanwhile, the reserve faced a setback this week when a five-year-old female melanistic tiger was found dead in the Upper Barakumuda region of the Similipal South Division’s core area. Authorities have ordered an inquiry into the incident in line with National Tiger Conservation Authority protocols, with samples sent for detailed examination to determine the cause of death.
