What are melanistic tigers? | Explained Premium
The Hindu
Odisha government has translocated a tigress from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra, to the Similipal Tiger Reserve to address the increasing number of pseudo-melanistic tigers. What makes these tigers unique?
The story so far: A tigress from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra, was sent 800 km away to the Similipal Tiger Reserve on Sunday (October 28, 2024) so as to diversify the genetic pool of the tiger population in Odisha. She is part of a plan by the Odisha government to tackle inbreeding in the tiger population that has resulted in increasing numbers of the once elusive black tigers or pseudo-melanistic tigers.
Aged two years and seven months, the tigress was released into an enclosure where she is kept for observation. She will be later released in the South Division of Similipal.
According to Susant Nanda, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), the presence of so many melanistic tigers in Similipal is not a cause of concern. However, he stressed that the tigress will bring in different genetic matter which would remedy the inbreeding situation.
As far as appearances go, pseudo-melanistic (pseudo: false; melanistic: dark coloured) tigers appear to have a black coat with white and orange stripes occasionally peaking through. Their pelt looks almost the inverse of a normal tiger.
Till the 1700s, these tigers were considered mythical. One of the first pieces of evidence of a black tiger was a watercolour painting by a British artist and writer named James Forbes.
Even two centuries later, there were only sightings recorded by locals and British hunters. This is until 1970, when a tigress at the Oklahoma City Zoo gave birth to a cub with bizarre patterns. The cub was killed soon after by the mother. In the 1990s, an unusual tiger pelt was seized from poachers in New Delhi which finally confirmed the existence of this rare tiger.
The most recent sighting of the black tiger was in 2017-18 in the Similipal Tiger Reserve.
