The number of tigers in Dhenkanal district has doubled in the last three years. Tiger populations in the district’s forests increased from six in 2021 to twelve, marking a significant achievement for the forest department.
However, recent incidents have posed new challenges for tiger conservation. Poachers caused the deaths of two tigers in recent days, with one caught in an electric trap in the Hind Koi Reserve Forest and another in the Dudurkot village forest. Poachers in Dhenkanal’s Bankhand area continue to lay electric wires to hunt tigers for their skins.
In a recent incident, forest officials rescued a Kalaparatria tiger caught in a wire trap in the Mahabirod range on the Dhenkanal-Kendujhar border. While investigations are ongoing, the identity and motives of those laying the traps remain unclear.
Environmentalists criticized the forest department for inadequate patrolling and insufficient protection for the tigers, warning that the species faces growing risks. Responding to these concerns, the DFO Dhenkanal stated that the department is taking strict action against poachers and implementing measures to safeguard and grow the tiger population.