Melanistic Tiger Safari in Odisha’s Similipal Getting Ready to Welcome Visitors

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has stepped up the work for the proposed melanistic tiger safari near Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj district. Once the safari work is complete, it will offer the visitors a ‘never-before opportunity’ to see melanistic tigers.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF –Wildlife) Susanta Nanda on Monday informed that a melanistic tiger safari will come up on 100 acres of land.

“The visitors coming to Similipal were not able to have a sight of the tigers and the possibility of seeing them live was less than one per cent. However, sightings have now improved. At least 99 per cent of visitors, who used to return without seeing melanistic tigers, will soon have the opportunity to see them,” said Nanda.

The PCCF informed that NTC and an expert committee of Central Zoo Authority (CZA) have given their nod.

“We are waiting for the CZA’s technical committee nod. Necessary works are going on and we hope that tiger safari will be opened for the visitors by year end,” Nanda added.

Taking to his official X handle, Nanda wrote that Tigers are roaring back in Simlipal Tiger Reserve- the one and the only place in the world to host the famed wild melanistic tigers.

“It was widely believed that in 2013 March, one tiger from Satkosia came to Nandankanan Zoo on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar in search of a mate. Named Nandan, it led a healthy life till a few months back. But genetic study now has proved that it was from the central Indian landscape,” tweeted Nanda.