Odisha: Tiger population pegged at 30 by first state-wide estimation

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], February 27 : The first All Odisha Tiger Estimation (AOTE) report 2023-24 conducted by the Odisha Forest Department has reported an increase in the number of tigers in Odisha.
As per the report, of the 30 tigers, a total of 27 unique adult tigers were camera-trapped in Odisha during the AOTE exercise, and evidence of another three adult tigers were also found in the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), which have not been camera-trapped.
The 27 tigers include 14 males and 13 females. The STR has the highest number of 24 big cats. It has 11 usual colour morph tigers (seven females and four males), 13 pseudo melanistic tigers (seven females and six males), and eight tiger cubs.
According to an official release from the Forest Department Odisha, "All Odisha Tiger Estimation (AOTE), 2023-2024 was conducted, which spanned across 47 forest divisions, aimed at much more intensive state-level tiger monitoring. A state-level field survey was conducted to look for tiger signs such as pugmarks, scrapes, scats, rakes, urine spray, vocalization and livestock depredation."
Sites where the direct and indirect signs of tigers were found with certainty were intensively camera trapped to arrive at the minimum number of unique adult tigers based on their distinctive stripe pattern.
Cameratrap image based identification of tigers is a scientifically accepted methodology and is also used in the All India Tiger Estimation exercises, it said.
"A total of 27 unique adult tigers were camera trapped in Odisha during the AOTE exercise, comprising 14 females and 13 males. Evidence of another 3 adult tigers were also seen in the Similipal tiger reserve, which have not been camera trapped," it said.
Adding further, it said that with 24 adult unique tigers, the Similipal Tiger Reserve currently holds the largest share of the state's tiger population.
Similipal currently holds all the adult female tigers of the state. In total, 13 adult tigers (seven females and six males) were found to be pseudo melanistic in Similipal, and no other wild habitat in the world has pseudo-melanistic tigers. Seven cubs which were of less than 1 year also photo-captured in Similipal.
Apart from Similipal, the Hirakud Wildlife Division and Paralakhemundi Territorial Forest Division, each holds one adult male tiger. Another adult male tiger was also found to
utilize Greater Similipal tiger Landscape.
The tiger abundance has increased in Odisha from the previous estimate of AITE, 2022. Similipal Tiger Reserve, which currently harbours 27 unique adult individuals, has also witnessed an increase from 16 tigers captured through camera traps in 2021-2022.
This growth has resulted from strict management actions and scientific conservation practices. The images of eight unique tiger cubs during AOTE, 2023, indicate a recovering population in Similipal landscape.
Similipal is the only place in the world to boast the pseudomelanistic tigers.
The presence of three unique adult male tigers camera-trapped in Hirakud Wildlife Divison, Paralakhemundi Territorial Division, Keonjhar Territorial and Keonjhar Wildlife Division looks promising and provides hope for a better future for tigers in these habitats.
Apart from these regions, there is excellent potential for tiger recovery in Satkosia Tiger Reserve and Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary.