Assembly news: Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Dec 3: The Odisha Assembly was informed on Tuesday that at least 34 leopards and three Royal Bengal Tigers (RBT) have died in the state over the past five years. This information was shared by Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia, the Minister for Forest, Environment, and Climate Change, while responding to a question raised by Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
Between 2019-20 and 2024-25, the Minister reported that the deaths of 34 leopards occurred due to various causes. Specifically, 17 were victims of poaching, three were electrocuted after coming into contact with live wires, one was killed in a railway accident, three died in vehicle collisions, four passed away from natural causes, and three deaths remain unexplained.
Regarding the three Royal Bengal Tigers that died during the same timeframe, one was attributed to poaching, another to infighting, and the cause of the third remains unknown.
According to the latest All Odisha Tiger Estimation Report, there are currently 30 Royal Bengal Tigers in the state, while the All Odisha Leopard Estimation Report 2024 indicates a population of 696 leopards. The Minister’s revelations underscore the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect these endangered species in Odisha.
