Odisha turns a graveyard for tigers; state loses 6 Royal Bengal tigers, 49 leopards in 10 years

By Sukanta Kumar Mohanty

BHUBANESWAR, MARCH 28: As many as six Royal Bengal Tigers died, three of them by poaching, in Odisha in the last 10 years. Similarly, the state has lost 49 leopards, 26 of them by poaching, during the same period. This was informed by state forest and environment minister Pradip Kumar Amat in the Odisha Legilsative Assembly on Tuesday.

In a written reply to an unstarred question by Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati, minister Amat said as per the 2018 data, Odisha has Royal Bengal 28 tigers.

As per the 2018 data, Odisha has 760 leopards, the minister informed.

“The state lost six tigers in the last 10 years from 2012-13 to 2021-22. Of them, three were killed by poachers,” the minister said, adding that during the same period the state reported 49 leopard deaths. Of them, 29 were poached.

On September 30, 2018, former Odisha forest minister Bijayashree Routray had informed that Odisha had 60 Royal Bengal tigers. Now, it implies that the state has lost 28 Royal Bengal tigers in just five years. The ex-minister had then stated that Royal Bengal tigers were spotted at Hemagiri forest in Sundergarh, Debrigad Wildlife Century in Hirakud and Munigada in Rayagada district.

Regarding the steps being taken to increase the tiger population in the state’s jungle, the minister said two tiger projects have been set up in the state. Besides this, anti-poaching camps have been set up and special squads have been deployed in the forest.

While foot patrolling has been intensified, steps for the development of meadows to increase the population of herbivorous and control wildfires have been taken, added the minister.

Odisha is home to a significant population of tigers and has several wildlife reserves and national parks that provide suitable habitats for these majestic animals. Some of the prominent tiger habitats in Odisha include Simlipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district, Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Angul district and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in Balasore district.

Apart from these, there are other protected areas in Odisha that also serve as suitable habitats for tigers, such as the Nandankanan Zoological Park, Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, and Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary. However, the population of tigers in Odisha is still under threat due to habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.