Mayurbhanj (Odisha) [India], April 28 (HBTV): In a remarkable and rare wildlife event, a young male Royal Bengal tiger has travelled approximately 800 kilometres through forests and varied landscapes to enter Odisha's Similipal Tiger Reserve.
The long-distance dispersal has been described as an 'astonishing first' by officials.
The tiger, estimated to be 4–5 years old and a prime adult male, was detected through camera traps installed for the ongoing All India Tiger Census.
According to Field Director Prakash Chand Gogineni, the animal entered the reserve between December and January after beginning its journey from the Chhattisgarh side.
It travelled through Sundargarh district, Banai forests, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, and Kamakhyanagar before finally reaching Similipal.
The movement was captured on CCTV and camera traps set up for tiger estimation. While the exact origin point remains unconfirmed, officials believe the tiger originated from the central Indian tiger landscape. This is the first documented case of a tiger naturally entering Similipal from outside the state over such a long distance.
Gogineni confirmed that the tiger continues to reside within the reserve. Fresh camera traps to be deployed in December are expected to provide further updates on its movements and health. He said the arrival of an outsider tiger is a positive sign for biodiversity, as it can help improve genetic diversity in the relatively isolated Similipal population.
Similipal, spread over 2,750 sq km in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, is known for its unique melanistic (black) tigers and rich ecosystem. However, its relative isolation has raised concerns about inbreeding in the past. Natural dispersal of tigers from other landscapes, such as this 800-km journey, is considered a healthy ecological process that strengthens the meta-population.
Wildlife experts view such long-distance movements as evidence of improving forest connectivity and the tiger’s natural instinct to seek new territories, mates, and prey-rich areas. This incident adds to recent cases of tiger dispersal in India, where big cats have been recorded covering vast distances in search of suitable habitats. (ANI)