A tiger estimation conducted by Odisha’s Forest and Environment department using the camera trap method tallied a presence of 30 adult tigers in the State, registering a sharp increase from 2022 estimation.
As per the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE), 2022 report, 17 tigers were camera trapped in Odisha while there were total 20 tigers. The All Odisha Tiger Estimation (AOTE-2023-24), report of which was released on Monday, says total 27 unique adult tigers comprising 14 females and 13 males were camera trapped in the State while evidence of another 3 adult tigers were also seen in the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), which could not be captured on camera.
“With 24 adult tigers, STR currently holds the largest share of the State’s tiger population. Similipal currently holds all the adult female tigers. 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,” says AOTE report. Moreover, seven cubs which were of less than one year, were also photo-captured in Similipal.
