Six tigers and 49 leopards killed in Odisha in last 10 years

Bhubaneswar (IANS) | Six Royal Bengal tigers and 49 leopards have been killed in different forest areas of Odisha during the last 10 years. Odisha’s Forest Minister Pradeep Amat gave this information to the Assembly on Tuesday. Responding to a question by Congress member Tara Prasad Bahinipati, the minister said that out of 49 leopards killed during 2012-13 to 2021-22, 26 were killed by poachers. He told that during this period three Royal Bengal tigers also became victims of poachers.

The minister said that according to the 2018 survey report of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), there are 28 Royal Bengal tigers and 760 leopards in Odisha.

Giving information about the steps taken for the conservation of tigers, Pradeep Amat said that the state government has set up two projects on tigers and two anti-poaching camps. He said special squads have been deployed in the forests and foot patrolling is being done.

Apart from this, he said that steps are being taken to prevent forest fires in order to develop grasslands in forests and increase the population of tigers in the state.

–IANS