In a revelation made to the Parliament on Thursday, the government disclosed that India is home to a unique population of “black tigers,” and all 10 of them are exclusively found in Odisha’s Similipal. Union Minister of State for Environment, Ashiwini Kumar Choubey, shared this intriguing information, shedding light on the distinct genetic composition of the Similipal Tiger Reserve.
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The Exclusive Population
According to Choubey, these rare “melanistic tigers” have been documented solely in the Similipal Tiger Reserve. Out of the reserve’s total tiger population, 16 in the 2022 pan-India tiger estimation, a remarkable 10 showcase the captivating trait of melanism.
Conservation Significance
The Similipal Tiger Reserve has been identified as a unique conservation cluster due to its genetic composition, highlighting the importance of preserving and studying this exclusive population of black tigers.
Financial Support for Conservation
Over the last five years, the Similipal Tiger Reserve has received substantial financial support, amounting to ₹32.75 crore. This funding has been allocated for various aspects of wildlife conservation, habitat management, human resource development, and infrastructure under the centrally sponsored scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (CSS-IDWH).
Scientific Insights
A groundbreaking study led by ecologist Uma Ramakrishnan and Vinay Sagar from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore, in 2021, uncovered the genetic basis of the black tigers. Their research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlighted a single mutation in the Transmembrane Aminopeptidase Q (Taqpep) gene causing the unique coat coloration and patterning in these tigers.
Isolation and Conservation Concerns
The study emphasized that the Similipal tigers form an isolated population in eastern India with limited gene flow to other tiger populations. Such isolated and inbred populations, as per the researchers, are highly susceptible to extinction, even over short periods. This poses critical implications for ongoing tiger conservation efforts.
The revelation of India’s exclusive black tigers in the Similipal Tiger Reserve underscores the importance of genetic diversity in wildlife conservation. As efforts continue to preserve this unique population, further research and conservation strategies become imperative to ensure the long-term survival of these rare and captivating melanistic tigers.
Also read: https://newseense.com/how-artificial-intelligence-in-finance-shapes-our-world/
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