Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Parveen Kaswan, who frequently shares fascinating facts about wildlife, recently took to X to share photos of the “pseudo-melanistic” tigers found in Simlipal, Odisha.
He posted captivating images of this extraordinary species, a genetic variation of the Bengal tiger, along with details on its rarity and origin, reported NDTV.
Notably, the “pseudo-melanistic” tigers are found only in Odisha. Their black stripes are far more prominent due to a rare gene pool.
Their dense and dark stripe patterns are caused by a mutation that results in an increased amount of melanin.
“The black tigers of #India. They are such due to genetic mutation, and highly rare. Such a beautiful creature,” Mr Kaswan wrote on X.
In another tweet, the IFS officer also provided a brief history of the black tigers found in Simlipal.
He noted that the first confirmed sighting was in 1993 when a young boy from Pedagadi village killed a black tigress with arrows in self-defence.
He added that it wasn’t until 2007 that these tigers were officially discovered within the reserve, marking the beginning of a series of documented sightings.
“With time, more were documented,” Mr Kaswan wrote.
The IFS officer’s post has accumulated nearly 200,000 views and over 4,500 likes. It even garnered numerous reactions from X users. While some called the images amazing, others said they were gorgeous.
“Nature is amazing. Amazing creatures,” wrote one user. “Wow. All their stripes run together like ink. Very interesting and beautiful,” commented another.
“What a sight! Hope we’ll be able to conserve this amazing wildlife forever,” added a third. “You are so lucky to be with such lovely creations of nature and God,” expressed another.
Mr Kaswan’s post comes after India’s Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey told Parliament that there are a total of 10 black tigers in India, all in Simlipal.
According to a 2022 pan-India tiger estimation exercise, the Simlipal Tiger Reserve has 16 tigers, out of which 10 exhibit melanism, he said.
The Simlipal Tiger Reserve is currently the only known habitat for these unique tigers, making it an invaluable conservation site.
