Rare Melanistic Tiger and Lodha Tribe

• 24 Jan 2025

Source: TOI 

Why in News? 

The Odisha Forest Department has arrested 4 poachers belonging to the Lodha tribe for the illegal hunting of a rare melanistic tiger in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), Odisha.  

• The sub-adult melanistic tiger was part of a rare group, with only an estimated 20 such tigers remaining in the world.  

What are the Key Facts Regarding Melanistic Tiger? 

• Melanism and Melanistic Tiger: Melanism is a genetic condition where animals produce more melanin, leading to darker or black skin, fur, or feathers. 
  • Melanin is a natural substance that gives color to the skin, hair, and eyes. 
  • The Royal Bengal Tigers of STR  have a unique genetic trait with higher melanin levels, resulting in a pattern of black and yellow stripes, making them pseudo-melanistic. 
    • The All Odisha Tiger Estimation (AOTE) 2023-24 report estimates that STR hosts 27 tigers, including 13 adult pseudo-melanistic tigers, a unique trait not found in any other wild habitat. 
• Other Color Variations in Tigers: 
  • Orange with Black or Brown Stripes: This is the most common and well-known coloration, seen in tigers like the Royal Bengal Tiger.  
    • Each tiger has a unique stripe pattern that helps with camouflage in their natural habitat. 
  • White Tigers: White tigers are not a separate subspecies. Their white fur is due to a genetic mutation called leucism, which reduces pigmentation, resulting in pale-colored skin, fur, or scales. 
  • Golden Tigers: They are also not considered a distinct subspecies. Their golden coloration is caused by a recessive gene called "wideband," which reduces melanin production during hair growth.  
    • This variation has been observed in Kaziranga National Park. 

Similipal Tiger Reserve 

• Location: Similipal is situated in the Deccan Peninsula Biogeographic Zone. 
• Vegetation: Predominantly moist mixed deciduous forest with tropical semi-evergreen patches and sporadic dry deciduous forests and grasslands. 
• Floral Richness: Holds 7% of India's flowering plants and 8% of its orchid species. 
• Faunal Diversity: Major species other than tigers include sambar, chital, barking deer, gaur, and mouse deer, leopards, fishing cat etc. 
  • Management efforts have revived mugger crocodile populations along rivers Khairi and Deo. 
• It has also been designated as a Global Network of Biospheres site since 2009. 

Lodha Tribe 

• It is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) living in Mayurbhanj and Cuttack, Odisha with a population of around 3000. 
  • A PVTG is a sub-category within Scheduled Tribes (ST) identified as being more vulnerable than the general ST population.  
  • Classifying a ST group into PVTG list helps in  focus on improving their living conditions and providing targeted support. 
    • There are 75 PVTGs in India, the maximum 13 are in Odisha, followed by 12 in Andhra Pradesh. 
• Language: Kudumali, Odia. 
• Origin: Classified under the Criminal Tribes Act by the British, derived their name from Lubdhaka (trapper). 
• Occupation: Traditionally hunter-gatherers and tussar cocoon collectors; now engaged in agriculture, labor, rope making, and small businesses. 
• Diet: Fish and tortoise.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs) 

Prelims

Q. Consider the following pairs: (2013)

National Park - River flowing through Park 

1. Corbett National Park : Ganga 
2. Kaziranga National Park : Manas 
3. Silent Valley National Park : Kaveri 

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched? 

(a) 1 and 2  
(b) 3 only 
(c) 1 and 3 
(d) None  

Ans: (d) 

Q2. Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”? (2020) 

(a) Corbett 
(b) Ranthambore  
(c) Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam 
(d) Sundarbans 

Ans: C