Q. In India, the black tigers or melanistic tigers, that were recently in news are found exclusively in which tiger reserve?
Answer:
Similipal Tiger Reserve
Notes: As per 2022 government data, India currently has a population of 10 rare black tigers, also called melanistic tigers, all exclusively found in the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha. Genetically distinct, this isolated tiger group faces risks requiring specific conservation focus as per the environment ministry. Their dark pigmentation makes them distinct from the iconic yellow and orange Bengal tigers. STR protects this special variant believed to be endemic to that forest region.