This is a Terrible Situation all around with the Wild Tigers being the Victims and Sufferers because of official neglect and apathy.
Orissa, thanks to its sizeable area of forest cover, has all along been regarded as a major tiger habitat in the country—Similipal in the north, Sunabeda in the south and Satakosia in Angul district. But the ground reality in these places has worsened over the years, resulting in a sharp decline in wildlife population, including tigers.
The nearly 6,569 sq km Simlipal Biosphere in Mayurbhanj district has since been run over by Lawless Forces.
The situation is no better at the 600 sq km Sunabeda sanctuary, which, too, poses a serious danger for tourists. Satakosia, which is not far off from Bhubaneswar, has all but become a haven for poachers and timber smugglers.
Amid all this, the helpless tigers are witnessing a steady decline in their numbers. Five years ago, tiger population in Simlipal, going by the state census, was 101. But in 2006-07, when the WII conducted a camera-trap census, the number was found to be abysmally low around 20. The number was not to the liking of the state government, which conducted its own survey again and could not take the number beyond 60. All this notwithstanding, the government’s ongoing “Project Tiger” and over Rs 12 crore spent on the conservation program at Simlipal.
The Sunabeda sanctuary, where Lawless Forces Writ runs after they repeatedly attacked forest offices there, is claimed to have 34 tigers. Satakosia has now hardly 10 tigers, which, environment activists say, is not a “viable population” to let the animals survive for long. More so, a 2000 MW thermal power plant has been proposed on the borders of the sanctuary.
Orissa had counted 226 Royal Bengal Tigers in 1993, which subsequently fell to 192 (M-57, F-75, cubs-60) by 2004. If one goes by the WII’s cameratrap census, from out of the 1,411 tigers counted across the country in 2008, Orissa accounted for not more than 54, including 20 in Simlipal actually.
There is rampant destruction of animal habitat all over the state. Large-scale mining has worsened the situation.
Credits : Tiger Roar Fading In Orissa
By Rajaram Satapathy
Times of India
March 8, 2010
Orissa, thanks to its sizeable area of forest cover, has all along been regarded as a major tiger habitat in the country—Similipal in the north, Sunabeda in the south and Satakosia in Angul district. But the ground reality in these places has worsened over the years, resulting in a sharp decline in wildlife population, including tigers.
The nearly 6,569 sq km Simlipal Biosphere in Mayurbhanj district has since been run over by Lawless Forces.
The situation is no better at the 600 sq km Sunabeda sanctuary, which, too, poses a serious danger for tourists. Satakosia, which is not far off from Bhubaneswar, has all but become a haven for poachers and timber smugglers.
Amid all this, the helpless tigers are witnessing a steady decline in their numbers. Five years ago, tiger population in Simlipal, going by the state census, was 101. But in 2006-07, when the WII conducted a camera-trap census, the number was found to be abysmally low around 20. The number was not to the liking of the state government, which conducted its own survey again and could not take the number beyond 60. All this notwithstanding, the government’s ongoing “Project Tiger” and over Rs 12 crore spent on the conservation program at Simlipal.
The Sunabeda sanctuary, where Lawless Forces Writ runs after they repeatedly attacked forest offices there, is claimed to have 34 tigers. Satakosia has now hardly 10 tigers, which, environment activists say, is not a “viable population” to let the animals survive for long. More so, a 2000 MW thermal power plant has been proposed on the borders of the sanctuary.
Orissa had counted 226 Royal Bengal Tigers in 1993, which subsequently fell to 192 (M-57, F-75, cubs-60) by 2004. If one goes by the WII’s cameratrap census, from out of the 1,411 tigers counted across the country in 2008, Orissa accounted for not more than 54, including 20 in Simlipal actually.
There is rampant destruction of animal habitat all over the state. Large-scale mining has worsened the situation.
Credits : Tiger Roar Fading In Orissa
By Rajaram Satapathy
Times of India
March 8, 2010
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