As many as 55 big cats including six Royal Bengal Tigers died including three from poaching in Odisha in last 10 years, State Forest Minister Pradip Amat informed the Assembly on Tuesday.
In a written reply to an unstarred question by Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati, Minister Amat said as per the 2018 data, Odisha has 28 tigers.
Odisha lost six tigers in the last 10 years from 2012-13 to 2021-22. Of them, three were killed by poachers, he said, adding during the same period, the State reported 49 leopard deaths. Of them, 29 were poached.
As per the 2018 data, Odisha has 760 leopards, the Minister informed.
Regarding the steps being taken to increase the tiger population in the State’s jungle, the Minister said two tiger projects have been set up in the State. Besides this, anti-poaching camps have been set up and special squads have been deployed in the forests.
While foot patrolling has been intensified, steps for the development of meadows to increase the population of herbivorous and control wildfires have been taken, added the Minister.
