India is home to about 70 percent of the world’s remaining wild tigers. The country has devoted significan teffort to preserving the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris)The news has been generally good in terms of tiger conservation. Now Indian media reports Odisha tigers have increased in numbers by about one-third.
The Deccan Chronicle says the rise in the tiger population is due to serious conservation efforts. Odisha is a state in India along the northeast coast. It is home to 41 million people.
According to the Chronicle:
“The tiger population in Odisha has increased. At present, there are 30 tigers and eight cubs — all below one year old, revealed the first All Odisha Tiger Estimation (AOTE) report 2023-24. The tiger estimation exercise was conducted by the Odisha government’s forest department. As per the report, of the 30 tigers, a total of 27 unique adult tigers were camera-trapped during the AOTE exercise in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) other forest ranges. The remaining three adult tigers were seen in parts of the same STR region which were not camera-trapped.”
“Expressing his happiness over the increase in tiger population, noted wildlife activist Dr Gourang Charan Rout said, “Tigers are an integral part of our ecology. It helps check the population of herbivores while maintaining the health of a forest or grassland. When the tiger population grows at a place, it indicates they are now protected in their kingdoms. Tigers help in securing the future for other wildlife.”
India has been working to save tigers since Project Tiger debuted in 1973. That project recently passed its 50th anniversary. The increase in Odisha tigers is a tribute to the lessons learned over the half-century. The success of Project Tiger has led to Project Cheetah. That is perhaps even more ambitious as it is attempting to re-introduce cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) to India where they became extinct in the 1950’s.