Why in News?
- Odisha is set to unveil the world’s first melanistic Tiger safari near the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).
- A genetic condition called melanism causes an animal’s skin, feathers, or hair to turn black or almost black due to an increase in melanin production.
- The Royal Bengal Tigers of Similipal boast a distinctive lineage with elevated melanin levels, giving rise to black and yellow interspersed stripes, making them pseudo-melanistic.
- According to the All India Tiger Estimation, 2022, Similipal Tiger Reserve houses 16 tigers, with 10 of them displaying melanistic traits.
Facts about melanistic Tiger safari:
- Covering about 200 hectares next to the Dhanbad-Balasore National Highway-18, the safari spot is close to STR and offers a Simlipal-like setting.
- In the beginning, three melanistic tigers from Nandankanan Zoo, along with rescued or orphaned tigers, will occupy the open enclosures of the safari.
- It seeks to increase public knowledge of the melanistic tiger’s conservation concerns while giving academics and enthusiasts a forum to interact with these uncommon large cats.
About Color Variations in Tigers:
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Orange with Black or Brown Stripes:
- This is the most common and widely recognized tiger coloration, e.g, the Royal Bengal Tiger.
- Each tiger’s stripe pattern is unique, serving as a form of camouflage, in their natural habitat.
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White Tigers:
- They are not considered a separate subspecies. The colour of the white tiger’s fur is the result of a genetic mutation called leucism.
- Leucism is a genetic condition that results in reduced pigmentation in animals, causing them to have white or pale-colored skin, feathers, fur, or scales.
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Golden Tigers:
- They are also not considered a subspecies of tigers because their golden color variation is caused by the presence of a recessive gene called “wideband”.
- The wideband gene reduces melanin production during the cycle of hair growth.
Recently, it was spotted in Kaziranga National Park.
About Similipal Tiger Reserve:
- Similipal, which derives its name from ‘Simul’ (Silk Cotton) tree, is a national park and a Tiger Reserve situated in the northern part of Orissa’s Mayurbhanj district.
- The tiger reserve is spread over 2750 sq. km and has some beautiful waterfalls like Joranda and Barehipani.
- The park is surrounded by high plateaus and hills, the highest peak being the twin peaks of Khairiburu and Meghashini (1515m above mean sea level).
- At least twelve rivers cut across the plain area, all of which drain into the Bay of Bengal. The prominent among them are Burhabalanga, Palpala Bandan, Salandi, Kahairi and Deo.
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Flora and fauna:
- An astounding 1078 species of plants including 94 species of orchids find their home in the park.
- The vegetation is a mix of different forest types and habitats, with Northern tropical moist deciduous dominating some semi-evergreen patches.
- Sal is the dominant tree species here. These forests boast of many plants that have medicinal and aromatic properties.
- The park is known for the tiger, elephant and hill mynah. It holds the highest tiger population in the state of Orissa.
- 55 species of mammals, 304 species of birds, 60 species of reptiles, 21 species of frogs, 38 species of fish and 164 species of butterflies have been recorded from the Park.
- Apart from the tiger, the major mammals are leopard, sambar, barking deer, gaur, jungle cat, wild boar, four-horned antelope, giant squirrel and common langur. Grey hornbill, Indian pied hornbill and Malabar pied hornbill are also found here.
- The park also has a sizeable population of reptiles, which includes the longest venomous snake, the King cobra and the Tricarinate hill turtle.
- The Mugger Management Programme at Ramatirtha has helped the mugger crocodile to flourish on the banks of the Khairi and Deo Rivers.
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History and Current Status:
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- The Tiger Reserve originated as a hunting ground for the surrounding royalty. It was formally designated a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in May 1973.
- The Government of Orissa declared Similipal as a wildlife sanctuary in 1979. The Government of India declared it as a biosphere reserve in 1994.
- UNESCO added this National Park to its list of Biosphere Reserves in May 2009.
- This tiger reserve also comes under Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve that includes the adjacent Hadgarh and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuaries.
- Apart from its biodiversity, the region around Similipal forests is home to a variety of tribes. Prominent among these are Kolha, Santhala, Bhumija, Bhatudi, Gondas, Khadia, Mankadia and Sahara.
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FAQs
Q1: Why is Similipal tiger reserve famous?Ans: The park is known for the tiger, elephant and hill mynah. It holds the highest tiger population in the state of Orissa. 55 species of mammals, 304 species of birds, 60 species of reptiles, 21 species of frogs, 38 species of fish and 164 species of butterflies have been recorded from the Park. Q2: Which district is home to the Simlipal Tiger Reserve?
Ans : The Similipal Tiger Reserve is situated in the northernmost region of Odisha, in the Mayurbhanj District. The majority of the topography is steep and rolling, with pockets of open grasslands and dense forests. The District’s low coastal plains have given way suddenly to the sloping plateau. Q3: Does the Simipal Tiger Reserve have any black tigers?
Similipal Tiger Reserve is home to black tigers. There are ten black tigers (melanistic tigers) in India, all of which are restricted to the Similipal tiger reserve in Odisha, the Indian government told the Rajya Sabha. Black tigers are a rare color variation of Bengal tigers, not a separate species.
