Baripada: A rare melanistic tiger was caught on camera recently while strutting down into the wilds of Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
A footage of the big cat captured on a DSLR camera was shared by Odisha’s PCCF (wildlife), Susanta Nanda on his X handle on Friday.
Here you are seeing the first video of the melanistic tiger from Simlipal Tiger taken in DSLR camera with natures music in the background 💕 pic.twitter.com/yCUenH9Sau
— Susanta Nanda (@susantananda3) October 4, 2024
This is a welcome sight as the NTCA and Odisha government gear up for the world’s first melanistic tiger safari in Baripada, along NH-18.
According to sources, the safari will be open for visitors by the end of this year.
Simlipal tiger reserve is the only tiger habitat in the world to have melanistic tigers that have broad black stripes running across their bodies and thicker than those seen in normal tigers.
The reserve first reported the presence of melanistic tigers in 2007. In 2016, a census carried out by the Odisha forest department in the reserve found six melanistic tigers.