Melanistic tiger's skin seized from Similipal fringe villages, four held

Forest officials say hide appears to be a year old and is probably that of a sub-adult tiger

- SUDARSAN MAHARANA/SUKANTA SAHU @Bhubaneswar/Baripada

SKIN and other body parts of a rare melanistic tiger, unique to the Similipal landscape, were seized by forest officials from the possession of four persons in the fringe villages of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj district.

A special enforcement wing of the Similipal south wildlife division conducted a raid on January 12 when the tiger hide was seized in Tentula village, while nails were recovered earlier from another accused in Balighat.

The seizure of the skin has again pointed to the threat the striped predators face in Similipal, the biggest tiger reserve in the state.

PCCF (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden Prem Kumar Jha said the joint task force (JTF) of the wildlife wing is investigating the matter along with the STR team. "The JTF has been asked to submit its report to the government at the earliest," he said.