India To Start World’s First Black Tiger Safari In Odisha

The Odisha government, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has announced the establishment of a melanistic tiger safari – a groundbreaking initiative that will be the first of its kind...

Ruby Thakur
January 27, 2024
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The Odisha government, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has announced the establishment of a melanistic tiger safari – a groundbreaking initiative that will be the first of its kind globally. The safari is set to be located near Baripada in the Mayurbhanj district of the state, as per the official announcement made by Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik on X, previously known as Twitter.

India To Start World’s First Black Tiger Safari In Odisha

Why In News

The Odisha government, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has announced the establishment of a melanistic tiger safari – a groundbreaking initiative that will be the first of its kind globally. The safari is set to be located near Baripada in the Mayurbhanj district of the state, as per the official announcement made by Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik on X, previously known as Twitter.

All You Need To Know

The safari is set to be located near Baripada in the Mayurbhanj district of the state, as per the official announcement made by Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik on X, previously known as Twitter.
Covering an expansive 200-hectare area adjacent to National Highway 18, the chosen site is approximately 15 km away from the Similipal Tiger Reserve, featuring a similar landscape.
Notably, Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) stands as the sole habitat for melanistic tigers worldwide, as per the last All India Tiger Estimation Report released by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in 2018.
The 2022 All India Tiger Estimation revealed that out of the 16 tigers recorded in Similipal, 10 displayed melanistic characteristics. This reserve initially reported the presence of melanistic tigers in 2007.

This move aims to provide tourists and visitors with a unique opportunity to witness the rare and majestic species found exclusively in Odisha.
“Surplus tigers from the Nandankanan Zoo and rescued or orphaned tigers which are not fit for wild but fit for display will be housed in the safari in an open enclosure,” said Mr. Nanda.
Around a couple of years ago, researchers, including scientists from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bengaluru, identified a single gene mutation responsible for black stripes and a distinctive pattern in these tigers.

The mutation in the gene Transmembrane Aminopeptidase Q (Taqpep) led to the broadening and spreading of black stripes against a tawny background, creating a pattern known as pseudo-melanism.
Pseudo-melanism differs from true melanism, characterised by an unusually high deposition of melanin, a dark pigment.
The study also highlighted that the melanistic tigers in Similipal may have originated from a small founding population, leading to inbreeding.

The upcoming melanistic tiger safari is expected to house surplus tigers from Nandankanan Zoo and rescued/orphaned tigers unfit for the wild but suitable for display.
The open enclosure will cover about 100 hectares for display purposes, while the remaining area will be utilised for veterinary care facilities, a rescue center, staff infrastructure, and visitor amenities, according to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Susanta Nanda.

The Forest Department emphasised that the safari is poised to elevate wildlife tourism in Odisha, anticipating a significant influx of visitors and establishing itself as an added attraction for those exploring the Similipal Tiger Reserve.

Similipal Biosphere Reserve

Similipal derives its name from ‘Simul’ (silk cotton) tree.
It was formally designated a tiger reserve in 1956 and brought under Project Tiger in the year 1973.

It was declared a biosphere reserve by the Government of India in June, 1994.
It has been part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserve since 2009.
It is part of the Similipal-Kuldiha-Hadgarh Elephant Reserve popularly known as Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, which includes 3 protected areas i.e. Similipal Tiger Reserve, Hadagarh Wildlife sanctuary and Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary.

Experts Views

There have been mixed reactions from wildlife experts and activists after the Odisha government decided to set up a black tiger safari, the first of its kind in the world, near the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj district.
Lala A K Singh, an expert on the black tigers of Similipal, said the creation of a safari meant putting the big cats in an enclosed space. “This will be an attraction for visitors,” he said.
Biswajit Mohanty, former member of the National Board for Wildlife, however disliked the idea of putting such rare felids in enclosures by creating a safari. “They are free-roaming wildlife.

Visitors to STR can already witness and enjoy seeing melanistic tigers, wild and free,” he said. Black tigers are not a separate subspecies. They are Bengal tigers with a gene mutation, which gives them their distinctive dark stripe patterns.

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Ruby Thakur

General Studies Lecturer SSBCrackExams, BSc In PCM, Trained Students For State Services Exams. Expertise in Geography ,Polity & Current Affairs. Love Travelling.