What are Odisha famous black tigers, and why is the state planning a safari around them? (GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- Odisha will start a melanistic tiger safari near Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR). The safari will be the first of its kind anywhere in the world, and the Chief Minister invited tourists to see “the rare and majestic” melanistic tiger species “found only in Odisha”.
- The state government’s plan has received in-principle approval from the technical committee of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
- As of now, the safari is likely to be ready for visitors by October 2024.
What are black tigers or melanistic tigers?
- Melanism is a genetic condition in which an increased production of melanin, a substance in the skin that produces hair, eye, and skin pigmentation, results in black (or nearly black) skin, feathers, or hair in an animal.
- Many royal Bengal tigers of Similipal belong to a unique lineage with higher-than-normal levels of melanin, which gives them black and yellow interspersed stripes on their coats. These tigers are not entirely black, and are therefore more accurately described as being pseudo-melanistic.
- The STR, which sprawls over 2,750 square km in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district adjoining Jharkhand and West Bengal, is Asia’s second largest biosphere, and the country’s only wild habitat for melanistic royal Bengal tigers.
What makes tigers (pseudo) melanistic?
- A single mutation in the gene Transmembrane Aminopeptidase Q (Taqpep) causes black tigers to develop stripes that seem to have broadened or spread into the tawny background.
- Genetic analyses of other tiger populations in India and computer simulations suggest that the Similipal black tigers may have arisen from a very small founding population of tigers, and are inbred. The STR cats live isolated from other tigers, because of which they breed among themselves.
- Approximately 37% of tigers in the Similipal Tiger Reserve are pseudomelanistic, characterized by wide, merged stripes. Camera trap data across the tiger range revealed the presence of pseudomelanistic tigers only in Similipal.
How many melanistic tigers are there in STR?
- Melanistic tigers have been recorded only in the Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha.
- As per the 2022 cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation, 16 individuals were recorded at Similipal Tiger Reserve, out of which 10 were melanistic.
- The state government’s ongoing tiger survey, however, suggests that the number of royal Bengal tigers in STR is more than what has been mentioned in the NTCA report. The state government’s report will be released soon.
What is Odisha’s plan for the melanistic tiger safari?
- Around 200 hectares of land along the Dhanbad-Balasore National Highway-18 has been identified for the proposed safari. The site is about 15 km from the STR, and its landscape matches that of Simlipal.
- About 100 hectares will be the display area of the park, and the rest will be used to build veterinary care facilities, including a rescue centre, staff infrastructure, and visitors’ amenities. Initially, three melanistic tigers from the Nandankanan zoo north of Bhubaneswar, and rescued/ orphaned tigers who are not fit for wild but fit for display, will be housed in the safari in an open enclosure.
Why has Odisha come up with this plan?
- The safari aims to allow wildlife conservationists, researchers, and enthusiasts to see the rare big cats from up close, and to create awareness about the need for their conservation.
- The sighting of tigers is difficult in STR because of its vast area, and the safari has been proposed as an added attraction for visitors to Similipal.
- An NTCA committee will visit the proposed site to carry out a feasibility study before final clearance is given to the project.
- The state government will also have to obtain other statutory clearances, including approval from the Central Zoo Authority, a body under the Environment Ministry that has oversight over zoos in the country.
India, France, UAE conduct joint mega air exercise over Arabian Sea
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Why in news?
- Recently, India, France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) carried out a mega air exercise over the Arabian Sea against the backdrop of the rising global concerns over Houthi militants targeting several commercial vessels in the strategic waterways in the region.
- The exercise 'Desert Knight' featured several frontline aerial assets and combat jets of the air forces of the three countries.
Details:
- The main focus of exercise 'Desert Knight' was on enhancing synergy and interoperability between the three air forces.
- The exercise took place in the Indian FIR (Flight Information Regions) and with IAF aircraft operated from several bases in India.
- All airspace worldwide is divided into FIRs and each of them is managed by a controlling authority responsible for ensuring that air traffic services are provided to aircraft flying within it.
Components:
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) component at the drills consisted of Su-30 MKI, MiG-29 and Jaguar fighter jets besides AWACS (airborne early warning and control aircraft, C-130-J transport plane and air-to-air refuelling aircraft.
- While the French participation included the Rafale fighter aircraft and a multi role tanker transport, the UAE Air Force fielded the F-16.
Significance:
- The interactions during the exercise facilitated the exchange of operational knowledge, experiences and best practices amongst the participants.
- Such exercises are indicative of the growing diplomatic and military interactions in the region, apart from showcasing the prowess of the IAF.
Republic Day 2024:
- The trilateral exercise came days before India's Republic Day celebrations where two Rafale fighter jets and an Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport aircraft of the French air force will also feature.
- A 95-member marching contingent and 33-member band contingent from France will also take part in the parade.
- French President Emmanuel Macron will be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26 that would make him the sixth leader from France to grace the prestigious annual event.
Former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur to be awarded Bharat Ratna
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Prime Minister announced his government's decision to confer the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna on former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur.
Karpoori Thakur formula:
- Karpoori Thakur introduced reservations for the most backward castes (MBCs) in the state within the larger quota for backward castes, or OBCs, in 1978.
- Referred to as the 'Karpoori Thakur formula', it predated the Mandal Commission implementation by 12 years.
Background:
- In 2017, the Modi government instituted the G Rohini Commission for sub-categorizing the OBC quota to ensure extremely backward classes (EBCs) accrue the benefits of reservation, which dominant OBCs, such as the Yadavs, are perceived to have cornered. The commission submitted its report in 2023.
- However, the decision to confer the Bharat Ratna on Karpoori Thakur, who hailed from a poor nai (barber) caste, also strikes at the dominant OBC versus extremely backward classes' social dynamics in Bihar.
About Karpoori Thakur:
- Born on January 24, 1924, Karpoori Thakur participated in the freedom struggle and was a member of the Congress Socialist Party and later the Praja Socialist Party.
- He was the legislator of the Bihar assembly from 1952 until his death in February 1988, barring a brief stint as a Lok Sabha member in 1977, which he quit to become the Bihar chief minister.
- Karpoori Thakur was the Bihar chief minister for two stints, from December 1970 to June 1971 and June 1977 to April 1979.
- Apart from introducing reservations, Karpoori Thakur was a votary of giving government contracts to unemployed youth, such as engineers, arming Dalits so that they could defend against attacks by upper caste militias, and advocating the use of Hindi in education and official work.
About Bharat Ratna:
- ‘Bharat Ratna’, the highest civilian Award of the country, was instituted in the year 1954.
- Any person without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex is eligible for these awards.
- It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour.
- The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister himself to the President. No formal recommendations for this are necessary.
- The number of annual awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year.
- On conferment of the award, the recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion.
- The Award does not carry any monetary grant.
