Genetic Pool and its role

• The genetic pool is the total collection of genes within a population.
• It plays a crucial role in wildlife conservation because it determines the population’s ability to adapt and survive.
• A large and diverse genetic pool allows a population to respond to environmental changes, resist diseases, and maintain reproductive fitness.
• In contrast, a small and less diverse genetic pool can lead to inbreeding, reduced fertility, and increased susceptibility to diseases, ultimately threatening the long-term survival of a species.

About Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR)

• Designation and Recognition: Declared a Tiger Reserve in 1956 and became part of Project Tiger in 1973.
• Recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2009.
• Location: Situated in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, at the eastern edge of the Eastern Ghats.
• Unique Features: The only place in the world to host melanistic (black) tigers.
• Part of the Similipal-Kuldiha-Hadgarh Elephant Reserve, which also includes Hadagarh and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuaries.
• Biodiversity: Home to diverse fauna, including leopards, gaur, elephants, sloth bears, mongoose, and flying squirrels.
• Tribal Communities: Inhabited by the Erenga Kharias and Mankirdias tribes, known for traditional agriculture and forest-based livelihoods.