Wildlife Conservation And The Tigers of Odisha

Wildlife Conservation And The Tigers of Odisha

“Wild animals are less wild and more human than many humans of this world," a thought-provoking quote by author Munia Khan, highlights the complex relationship between humanity and nature. Animals, often labeled as untamed or primal, display a purity, innocence, and harmony that sometimes surpasses human behavior. The traditional notion of "wildness” is challenged when human actions are occasionally less ethical or "civilized" compared to the instinctive lives of animals.

Odisha is a treasure trove of wildlife inhabiting a rich diversity of flora and fauna. The state is known for its expansive forests, lush mangroves, and varied ecosystems, making it a haven for nature enthusiasts and conservationists. On World Wildlife Conservation Day (December 4, 2024) My City Links had an exclusive interaction with well-known wildlife conservationist and naturalist Aditya Panda, who currently serves as Honorary Wildlife Warden, Angul District. Professionally, he operates and leads wildlife photography and safari operations across India.

In a free-wheeling conversation, he spoke about tigers, which hold a significant place in Odisha's natural heritage, embodying the state's rich biodiversity and its ongoing conservation efforts. The discussion covered a wide range of issues related to tigers, ranging from conservation programmes to challenges like poaching and human-animal conflict.

Project Tiger: How it All Started

Project Tiger is a wildlife conservation program that began on April 1, 1973 to protect the endangered Bengal tiger in India. The program was launched by the Government of India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's tenure. It started with 9 tiger reserves in India and Similipal in Odisha was one of them. So Odisha has been playing an important role from the very beginning in the wildlife conservation journey of India.

Unfortunately, from the nineties till the beginning of this century, the situation was going from bad to worse and the tiger numbers were rapidly decreasing. After the year 2010, Similipal was the only place in Odisha where tiger population existed. The other tiger habitats like Satkosia, Sunabeda, several other sanctuaries and reserve forests have nearly lost all tigers.

Adding more insight to this, Aditya said, “From the year 2018, the state has worked with great dedication towards the revival of tigers in Odisha. Wildlife protection has been receiving tremendous priority. From recruitments to fulfil staff shortage to the provision of firearms and police powers, from the use of AI to the creation of special tiger protection forces, no stone is being left unturned. This is a giant leap ahead from the days of the past when under-equipped, short staffed forest departments struggled to provide protection to wildlife. In several areas of the state, field staff used to get routinely overwhelmed by poaching gangs.”

Talking about the challenges posed by poaching, he pointed out that indigenous communities in eastern India, including Odisha, and regions like the Northeast have a taste for bushmeat such as deer and wild pig. As a result, large-scale  poaching of prey animals for bushmeat trade and consumption has been one of the principal driving factors for prey base collapse and big cat population declines in Odisha.

The biggest threat to wildlife in the state remains the hunting of herbivorous animals. Hunters now resort to electric current traps, which not only kill targeted animals but also lead to the deaths of elephants and even humans. Poachers also present a serious threat to security personnel deployed in the forest areas.

On May 22, 2023, Bimal Kumar Jena, 40, a forest guard posted at Baunsakhala beat under Pithabata range, in the core area of Simlipal national park, was shot dead by poachers. Weeks after this incident, on June 17, 2023, armed poachers killed another forest official named Mathy Hansdah.

“After this incident, the government issued a notice and has given power to the forest department to use firearms. The forest department has also been supplied with enough modern firearms for the same. At Satkosia and Similipal, a special tiger protection force made with forest staff and ex-army men has been deployed,” added Aditya.

Genetic Rescue

The need to increase genetic diversity has emerged as a key concern in recent years, particularly for reserves like Simlipal where the tiger population has dwindled, leading to inbreeding and a rise in melanism.

Genetic rescue is a conservation strategy that increases genetic diversity in a population to help it grow and reduce the risk of extinction. Genetic rescue involves moving individuals from a larger, healthier population to a smaller, more inbred population. This introduces new genetic variation, which can help the population grow and evolve.

Tigers typically migrate between neighboring forests, but unfortunately, Similipal has lost its connectivity with other tiger habitats like Keonjhar or Satkosia, which no longer have tiger populations. As a result, the tigers in Similipal have been isolated for years. The nearest tiger habitat, Bandhavgarh, is about 900 km away. Similipal now has a very small tiger population, leading to inbreeding within the same genetic pool. This has caused a significant rise in melanism, with over 60% of the tigers in the reserve now melanistic.

To address this issue in the long term, it is essential to restore and raise tiger populations in neighboring forests. However, as an immediate measure, introducing tigers from outside into Similipal is necessary to improve genetic diversity and strengthen the tiger population.

Providing more details, Aditya shared, “The Odisha wildlife wing has recently brought two female tigers, Jamuna and Zeenat, from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. Additionally, they have plans to introduce four more female tigers over the next two years to enhance genetic diversity in Similipal”.

For Satkosia and Debrigarh, which currently have no tiger populations, wildlife authorities are adopting the reintroduction method. “Satkosia is nearly ready, with only a few village relocations pending. The department’s plan is to introduce 14-15 tigers from other states over the next five years to establish a new tiger population there. Once they stabilize the population in Satkosia, it will act as a pivotal hub for tiger conservation in the state. Being centrally located and connected to other forests, it will facilitate natural migration and population growth. According to the department’s estimate, Satkosia has the capacity to support 70-100 tigers across its total area,” Aditya explained.

Voluntary Relocation Scheme

Recent years have seen serious efforts to reduce the human-wildlife conflict which has emerged as another serious challenge to conservation efforts.

When people settle forested areas, they usually choose to do so in the rich valleys, natural grasslands and floodplains as these are best suited for agriculture. They clear forests to create farmland. This leads to a decline in the population of animals like deer, which cannot rely on cultivated crops for sustenance. People also raise domestic animals such as cows and buffaloes, which roam into the forest and contribute further to deforestation.

People living in such communities also poach wild animals like deer and wild boars for food, recreation and trade. They exploit forest resources. These practices disrupt the delicate balance of the forest ecosystem and threaten wildlife. When such villages are located inside wildlife sanctuaries and other protected areas, they pose a significant challenge to the goals of wildlife conservation. At the same time, the future of the people living in such villages also becomes pretty bleak. They lead a tough life that is always at odds with the elements and they remain left out from development that is accessible to the mainstream society.

In order to address both these concerns, India has devised a very successful incentivised voluntary relocation scheme for such villages where, in exchange for a life changing amount of money, people stranded in forest villages can choose to move out closer to mainstream society and forfeit their claims and rights to wildlife habitat. All over India, this has seen immense success. Wherever voluntary relocation has been executed, wildlife has bounced back.

Aditya said, “There have been instances where entire villages have relocated, and within a year, the area transforms into a thriving habitat for wildlife. The populations of animals like deer and wild boars increase significantly, creating an ideal environment for predators like tigers to flourish.”

In an attempt to reduce the human-wildlife conflict, the Odisha Forest Department has drawn up a blueprint to relocate 756 villages in the protected areas of the state. The affected villagers will be relocated to other areas with financial assistance under the Odisha government’s resettlement scheme.

Currently, Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest 358 villages followed by 125 in Satkosia and 65 in Kotagarh. The state’s biggest tiger reserve Similipal also has 56 human settlements under its jurisdiction, while Baisipalli in Nayagarh has 62 villages. Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary,a proposed tiger reserve, has 26 villages, while Badrama has 27 and Karlapat 19. Kapilash and Khalasuni wildlife sanctuaries have one village each within their protected areas while Hadgarh has two and Chandaka three.

Puri, Chilika, Gahirmatha, Nandankanan and Debrigarh are the only five wildlife sanctuaries that do not have human settlements anymore. Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, which has received NTCA’s in-principle approval as a tiger-reserve, was made free from human settlements last year.

Revised financial assistance is being provided for relocating villages from forests since the 2021-22 fiscal year. As per the resettlement scheme, the state government is providing additional assistance of Rs 5 lakh per family for rehabilitation. So far, 963 families have been shifted from Satkosia and they have been given this financial incentive. In 2023-24, 270 families were shifted from Similipal, Hadgarh and Debrigarh, 88 families from Asanabahal and 126 families from Bhurkundi village under Satkosia Tiger Reserve.

According to the Forest Department, the process is being undertaken to gradually evacuate the residents of all 756 villages in the protected area. Emphasis is on how the villagers can express their interest in voluntary relocation. The government is emphasising that those who are voluntarily leaving the forest should be given a place near the national highway or the state highway instead resettling them in the vicinity of a forest. This will provide them with a new life with commercially lucrative land and opportunities for prosperity.

“Under the national scheme, families are provided with Rs. 15 lakh for relocation. Building on this initiative, our state government has enhanced the amount to Rs. 20 lakh per family. This offer is extended to those living in forests who wish to relocate for the betterment of future generations. Additionally, if a family includes parents and children aged 18 or older, each eligible child is considered a separate family and is entitled to Rs. 20 lakh as well. The process begins with a voluntary application, and it is entirely up to the individuals. No one has the authority to compel them to leave the forest.” added Aditya.

Not happy with few media houses spreading misinformation, Aditya said, “It is unfortunate that some media outlets are spreading false claims that the department is forcibly evicting people from the jungle. This is not legally permissible under the Forest Rights Act, which mandates that we first resolve their land ownership rights. So far, over five villages have been voluntarily relocated from Satkosia, yielding remarkable results. The population of herbivorous animals has increased significantly, and the forest is on track to become an ideal habitat for tigers once again. Similarly, Debrigarh is now nearly free of human settlements, and plans are underway to reintroduce tigers there soon. This will help establish a thriving tiger source population. While tigers and humans may coexist within the same district, state, or country, they cannot share the same village or forest.”

Rewilding Program

Another effective conservation strategy is rewilding, which focuses on restoring ecosystems by allowing nature to reclaim areas previously modified by human activity. These programs aim to reintroduce wildlife to revive natural processes that provide essential resources such as clean air, water, food, shelter, and medicine.

In Odisha, zoos and parks like Nandankanan, Cuttack Deer Park, and Raj Bhawan have seen significant increases in their deer populations. The forest department has taken the initiative to reintroduce these animals into the wild after thorough health screening. For instance, several deer from Cuttack Deer Park have been relocated to the Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary, where they now live freely in their natural habitat. Aditya explained, “Three species; sambar, barking deer and gaur, had gone extinct in Chandaka. Through rewilding and reintroduction, the department has successfully reintroduced sambar and barking deer, and are now working towards bringing back gaur.”

While climate change poses a significant threat to wildlife, it is a long-term issue. Although it requires attention, the immediate focus should be on addressing more pressing threats that can be tackled right now. Besides, ecosystem restoration through wildlife conservation is the single most effective way to mitigate climate change.

Modern technology has become a crucial tool in wildlife conservation. For instance, AI-powered cameras installed across reserved forests are being used to detect fires, monitor wildlife activity, and track illegal entry by hunters. Drones are now employed for forest surveillance and monitoring. 

A notable example of community-driven conservation is the work of the NGO Wild Orissa at the Mangalajodi Bird Sanctuary. “I was fortunate to be part of this initiative, where efforts successfully converted 12-15 local hunters into protectors of migratory birds. Since birds pose no direct threat to humans, the transition was relatively smooth. However, conserving larger animals, or megafauna, presents a far greater challenge,” Aditya said. 

To mitigate human-wildlife conflict, it is essential to introduce forest-dwelling communities to developed areas, rather than bringing development into forests, which would jeopardize both wildlife and their habitats. For infrastructural projects like highways, mines, or railways that unavoidably intersect with forests, proper mitigation measures are vital. This includes designing wildlife corridors and safe passageways based on expert recommendations to accommodate their natural travel routes. 

Across the nation, 56 tiger reserves account for less than 2% of India's total land area. If we cannot meet our developmental needs with the remaining 98%, compromising this 2% is not the solution. Wildlife conservation and development can coexist if managed wisely. 

Public awareness and support for wildlife conservation are crucial. The government often aligns with public demand, so a strong collective voice advocating for wildlife can drive policy and action. 

Carnivorous animals, such as tigers, are often considered "umbrella species" because their conservation indirectly protects a wide range of other species within the ecosystem. By focusing on the tiger, which depends on a balanced ecosystem for survival, we can ensure the well-being of many other species and foster overall biodiversity.

Correcting Our Mistakes

There needs to be an increased public awareness about wildlife. Finding effective ways to minimize conflicts is also crucial. During the 1980s, in the era of the famous tiger “Khairi” and under the leadership of Saroj Raj Choudhury; a renowned environmentalist, wildlife conservationist, writer, and the first Forest Conservator under the Government of Odisha, Odisha was recognized as one of the prominent tiger states in the country. The people of Odisha must not forget this legacy. From being a major tiger state to becoming a diminished one, we have nearly lost our identity in the wildlife conservation scene.

“The decline is not solely due to tiger hunting but also the hunting of herbivorous animals, which are vital for the tiger's survival. However, we are now rectifying our past mistakes without creating new problems. Decades ago, these forests were home to tigers. Therefore, we are not creating new tiger populations in new forest areas but rather reviving the populations that once existed,” says Aditya.

Odisha is home to two types of big cats: the Bengal tiger and the leopard. Although the leopard population has declined, their numbers have been increasing recently and are now fairly stable. Leopards are found in almost every forest across the state, indicating that our forests are ready to welcome Bengal tigers once again.

Our forests are vast but have relatively few animals, providing ample space for wildlife to thrive without significant conflict for now. Human-animal conflicts have existed for a long time, but that should not deter us from encouraging wildlife growth. Wildlife is an integral part of nature and has a direct influence on the environment, making its conservation essential for the well-being of our planet.

The revolutionary process is underway, and if we continue with this consistency and momentum, Odisha is set to become one of India's top wildlife destinations in the coming years. The forest department of Odisha is now focusing on conservation-oriented wildlife tourism, starting with Similipal. So the new tourism model will be wildlife-centric, with local communities actively involved to help shift their attitudes towards the forest and its wildlife. Tourism will be conducted in a disciplined manner, promoting awareness among tourists about exploring the forest and wildlife responsibly, ensuring minimal disturbance to the ecosystem. Responsible tourism will be encouraged to preserve the natural environment for future generations.