The state government has rejected the report that showed decline in big cats population in Odisha. It also raised question about using the camera trap method by NTCA, which captured only six tigers in the state. During the assessment, it looked into 3299 beats out of which 81 were found to be tiger-occupied. In these, tiger occupying areas, the team found 10434 samples trails out of which 135 had tiger signs. The total camera trap locations were estimated at 140 which collected six individual tiger photographs.
Similarly, the management effectiveness evaluation report put the two tiger reserves – Similipal and Satkosia – of Odisha in the ‘fair’ category with a score of about 57 per cent. Similipal was bracketed in the ‘Red Corridor’ given the presence of Maoists. The two reserves have potential for increasing big cat population by adopting ‘conservation inputs that restore habitat, prey population. It is said adding, supplementation of tigers in extreme cases can also be taken up.
However, the state was clearly unhappy with the report suggesting the big cats population in the state reduced to 28 in 2014. Chief Wildlife Warden S S Srivastava said “Under Phase III of the enumeration process, camera traps have been installed in Similipal and biological scientist from Wildlife Institute of India (WWI) are collecting data since November 25. How can NTCA announce the number conclusively at this stage? It is noteworthy that, so far, estimated population of tiger in Similipal and Satkosia has not been made available. In 2010 estimates, Similipal’s tiger population was pegged at 23 (in the range of 12 to 34) while Satkosia’s was eight (in seven to nine range).