Rare Black Tiger Killed on Reserve Fringes

Authorities at Similipal Tiger Reserve confirmed that a sub-adult male melanistic tiger was killed during the first week of February. The tiger's hide was recovered on May 21 from three individuals who were subsequently arrested. Investigations suggest that more people were involved in the poaching, given the expertise required to extract the hide.

The rare melanistic tiger, a variant of the Royal Bengal Tiger with increased black pigmentation, is found exclusively in Similipal. This particular tiger is thought to have strayed too close to human settlements and became ensnared in a trap set for wild boars. Efforts to identify the specific tiger are ongoing, as its stripe pattern has not yet matched any recorded individuals in the reserve's database.

The hide has been sent to the Wildlife Institute of India for laboratory examination. Officials are meticulously reviewing camera trap data to find a match that could confirm the identity of the deceased animal, highlighting the challenges in tracking these elusive and unique creatures.