Odisha to establish a melanistic tiger safari – a first of its kind in the world
- January 25, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Odisha to establish a melanistic tiger safari – a first of its kind in the world
Subject: Environment
Section: Protected Area
Context:
- The Odisha Government in India announced the establishment of the world’s first melanistic tiger safari near Baripada, the district headquarters town of Mayurbhanj.
Details:
- This safari, to be set up adjacent to National Highway-18, will cover an area of 200 hectares, with 100 hectares dedicated to displaying the tigers and the rest for veterinary care facilities, a rescue centre, staff infrastructure, and visitor amenities.
- The safari will be located near the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj, which is home to the world’s only wild melanistic tigers.
- This initiativeaims to elevate wildlife tourism in Odisha and promote awareness about the conservation of these rare animals.
- The safari will house surplus tigers from the Nandankanan Zoo and rescued or orphaned tigers in open enclosures.
Added attraction:
- The State Government’s proposal for this safari has received in-principle approval from the Technical Committee of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
- A committee appointed by the NTCA will conduct a feasibility study on-site before granting final approval.
- Additional statutory clearances, including approval from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), will be sought subsequently.
- According to the‘All India Tiger Estimation’ report, there are about 20 tigers in Odisha as of 2022.
About Similipal National Park:
- Simlipal is a tiger reserve in the Mayurbhanj district in the Indian state of Odisha
- It is part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, which includes three protected areas -Similipal Tiger Reserve, Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Simlipal National Park derives its name from the abundance of red silk cotton trees growing in the area.
- The vast terrain of Similipal with wide altitudinal, climatic and topographic variations, criss-crossed by large number of perennial streams, harbours a unique blend of Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and Sub-Himalayan plant species.
- The floristic composition indicates a connecting link between South Indian and North Eastern Sub-Himalayan Specie
- Forest is predominantly moist mixed deciduous forest with tropical semi-evergreen forest in areas with suitable microclimatic conditions and sporadic patches of dry deciduous forests and grasslands. It forms the largest watershed of northern Odisha.
- It holds the highest tiger population in Odisha, and harbours the only population of melanistic tigers in the world.
- Other carnivores found here are leopard, leopard cat, fishing cat, jungle cat and wolf. The active management of mugger has revived its population on the banks of the rivers Khairi and Deo.
- Similipal Tiger Reserve is also home to the largest population of elephants in Odisha.
- This protected area is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2009.
Source: TH