Similipal Tigers are "Melanistic", not "Pseudo-melanistic"

Recently some media houses have wrongfully used the term "pseudo-melanistic" for "melanistic tigers" of Similipal. I may clarify that the correct term is: melanistic and not "pseudo" (meaning 'false') melanistic tiger. They belong to a natural population, and they have not arisen out of or arising out of 'repeated mutation'. 

22 years back 14 different natural tiger phenotype-colour- variations were described in the book "Born Black- The Melanistic Tiger in India" written from research by me (Dr.  L.  A.  K.  Singh) and published by WWF - India.. 

Accordingly,  within that scope of description,  a tiger has to be "black" or "melanistic", not 'pseudo' meaning false. In 2021, a "pseudo" prefix was wrongfully  used by the molecular researchers from Bengaluru. At an Odisha State Research Advisory Committee Meeting, the lead researcher agreed with me (Dr.  Singh) that the prefix "pseudo" was wrong, and will not be used anymore by them.

So, Similipal-Jashipur-Mayurbhanj melanistic tigers are not "pseudo" (meaning false) but real melanistic tigers.  Let's stop ascribing the prefix "pseudo" melanistic for the future usage.

Dr. Lala A. K. Singh

Author of 1999-book: Born Black- The Melanistic Tiger in India"

My Library in the field and life

My personal library

Date: 05 March 2009 (Thursday) / updated 05 Dec 2010 (Sunday)

My personal library is the result of my own studentship (BSc Hons. 1970-1972, MSc 1972-1974) and research career in wildlife/environment/ecology (1975 to present). So, over 36 years…

Its uniqueness and strength lie in its variety, range and archaic to modern nature of wildlife / biodiversity-related titles and publications.

From my Graduation days I have nurtured an ambition to have my own library, so that I do not feel deficient for any reference anywhere anytime, even while staying for six years on the banks of Mahanadi or three in Chambal or sixteen in Similipal, or at such hours as the middle of the night, searching a reference with a kerosene lantern light.

And, my collections have proven that worth during my studentship and research career that is in its 4^th decade from Graduation.

I have collected books from all over the country and during my studies overseas (six of the seven continents, spending ‘dollar’ in those very-difficult years).

To this collection, books of other faculties and modern scientific fields have been added when my daughter, instead of exactly taking to my field, chose to study/research in the fields in Biotechnology / Nanotechnology / Biochemistry / Immunology / Bioinformatics.

Similarly, my son added variety because of his background in Commerce, GNIIT, MCA (ICFAI) and MBA.

The resulting collection contains a very wide range of

(i) Books in Basic, Applied and Modern Sciences / Commerce / Computers, (About 800 titles)

(ii) Scientific Papers on Wildlife, Biodiversity, Environment, Ecology, Herpetology, etc. (About 3000 publications).

(iii) About 1500 reference cards with Author, Title, Journal, Abstract of contents.

(iv) National and International Scientific Journals, Magazines relating to Wildlife, Environment, Ecology, Herpetology, etc. More than 25 types in series, some series starting from 1976 till present, and

(v) Text books / teaching material / competition courses containing education material of eternal value (about 200 titles).

These are not catalogued. But I / we know what is where.

We have started facing the crunch for space and therefore, difficulty in accessibility at times of need. Situation got worse because of changing places from Puri (1972) to Utkal Univ to Tikarpada to Hyderabad to Chambal to Hyderabad to Jashipur-Similipal to Baripada-Similipal to Bhubaneswar (2003). We are yet to pack/unpack the last time to settle in our own house (now scheduled to Dec.2010). But who will use the collection?

And, I am ageing (or, already aged; nearing 58). Some say, life starts at 60! Well, let’s see.

I had thought that I can build a working team and thus in 2004 instituted an annual ‘Puspaswini Wildlife Prize’ (in the memory of my deceased wife for the best presentation / project work in wildlife at Utkal University). All dreams do not come true!

I still look forward to some means, some support and some compensation.

I estimate that two Research Fellows (One a Biologist and the other a student of Library Science, both having good computer knowledge) and working for three to four months can catalogue the collection. (Our collection of computers is equally interesting:-- from Cyrix-1 to Pentium Dual Core – 3 PCs in working order, on which students can work.)

We will shift to our house later this month. But I cannot accommodate or can put to better use all the collection, particularly the journals and papers.

Today (05 Dec 2010, Sunday) talked to Director, Nandankanan. He will be happy if he can receive the publications and journals and all such materials I can give for the library in Nandankanan Biological Park. It has the best wildlife collection in the state of Orissa, and there is a librarian to look after the collection. The number of users is slowly but steadily increasing.

As regards certain research data files from 1970s, I will give some of these to Nimain, a promising field worker in elephant and other wildlife.

IDD AND SIB possibilities with Tiger, Elephant and Crocodile, too!

When I look back to my previous post, it tells about the apprehensions I was developing about IDD (Intellectual Developmental Disability) and SIB (Self-injuring Behaviour). The concepts are in the context of tiger and human growing-interface. 

A recent research by scientists from CSIR / CCMB Hyderabad was on tiger gut microbes found in the faecal matter of natural tigers. It gives early warning about tiger's environmental stress, habitat disturbance, exposure to pollutants and dietary changes. It has encouraged me to revisit IDD and SIB and the modern technologies that have been confirming our observations and apprehensions from the past old methods and tools.  

I started my wildlife research fifty years back, in 1975, with traditional tools, methods and field orientations, including fundamental imprinting of ecological pyramids in my mind. 

Now the time is changing. Researchers are with modern tools and technologies, on the ground-fixed cameras, drones-sailing in air and in the satellite images from the sky, all churning out analysis with AI-fortuned computers.  

I now realise the advantage and happiness of having lived the life of a researcher (1975-2025) through two centuries, the twentieth and the twenty-first.  

I congratulate the modern scientists who have for three different times proved me and our old wildlife research methods right: 
(1) During 1995, based from pugmark tracking and analysis of the tiger population trend, we said about tigers reaching the carrying capacity in their available habitats, and the possibility of imminent threat of sharp population decline. From 2006, based on camera trap methods our results and apprehensions have got confirmed, and new methods of tiger management have been adopted by managers. 

(2) From 27 September 1988 onwards, when we got data about stripe-less white tiger, our observations got documented on possible tiger colour variation in Similipal. From 21 July 1993, it got real strength and direction because of observations on melanistic tiger. By 1999, we plotted on map twelve sightings for the melanistic tiger in Similipal. I could develop a model that showed at least fourteen different colour variations in any natural population of tiger. In 2020, the photograph of a golden tiger from Kaziranga fitted to my concept in the colour model. Wildlife data trickles slow, after all. In 2021, the results from molecular studies by Bangalore-based scientists came close to my 1993-1999 apprehension relating to biological and conservation implications of melanistic tiger in Similipal. People who were enjoying the uniqueness of Similipal in showing up melanistic tiger in Similipal forests, started to realise the biological and conservation implications. In September 2025, National Geographic magazine generated more thinking by giving space to melanistic tiger on its cover page. 

(3) The recent molecular studies on gut microbes from five different Tiger Reserves of India come close to my apprehensions (2025) about the pressure on tiger population and/or behaviour due to increasing human-interface. 

I have started to think, if IDD and SIB may also be affecting other large indicator wildlife species of my interest, the elephants and the crocodilians, too. I am getting faint sketches on my mind and thought, and these may become bold if human-interface keep growing with all these species. 

 

 'MODERN TIGERS' from 'MODERN MANAGEMENT'

Key words: Abnormal behaviour of tiger in wild, IDD (Intellectual Developmental Disabilities), SIB (Self Injuring Behaviour)

I am working on a brief introductory talk for World Wildlife Day 2025 (3rd / 4th March, when we will have a Conclave). I will just introduce my conceptual apprehension that in the wild in nature the tigers are perhaps developing IDD (Intellectual Developmental Disabilities) and SIB (Self Injuring Behaviour). 

It is happening because of unsuspecting managerial application of technologies and approaches to (a) introduce / reintroduce tiger to rebuild wild population or improve genetic quality, and (b) encourage too much of tourism  

Evidences of syndromes I apprehend are from: (1) Long distance movement out of natal areas, (2) too timid behaviour of tiger / tigress / cubs surrounded by visitors on vehicles in the wild, (3) instances of aggressive behaviour of tiger towards care taker and visitors and vehicles in safari, (4) detection of stress hormone in tigers having such (point-2) exposures. 

We need to understand the tiger and large carnivores more intimately. We may be producing 'Modern Tigers' because of 'Modern Management'.  Let us protect habitat. Problems will be minimal for the species. Besides, let us not expect that all species can be conserved in all their former range of distribution.

TWO TEACHERS WHO MOTIVATED ME VERY EARLY FOR LATER DAYS

22 Nov. 2024. Today morning, out of almost nothing, I remembered two of my teachers. One, Mr. Baishnab Raul and the other Major D. K. Nanda. Mr. Raul was my biology teacher for high school standards at Central School, Puri and Major Nanda was my Zoology Honours classes Head of the Department at S.C.S. College, Puri. Both of them certainly had given me orientation and the kick starts for research, and to become a speaker/author, respectively. 

At school, I was asked to do a science project on water imbibition by gram seeds. I did the experiment at home, with seeds, petri dishes, measuring jars, and so on, including some friendly onlookers to encourage me and see the scientist in me. I did produce the results before my teacher Mr. Raul. He liked it. Much later I understood that the subject related to micro irrigation. I never knew that after a few years I will be opting for a research project at my Master's stage at Utkal University. The project got into my mind and within a very short time, I stepped towards the life-long career of a researcher in wildlife.

At the College, to meet an assignment to speak on a topic at the Zoology Seminar Hall, I was asked a topic related to Lamarckism. I thought, I prepared and I presented it well. That was also a stimulation to become an author for popular science articles, which started materialising when I joined the crocodile conservation project as a research scholar at the Gharial Research and Conservation Unit, Tikarpada in 1975. Dr. H. R. Bustard, the FAO Consultant to Indian Crocodile project had asked us that we should write at least two to three popular science articles every year, besides making the usual out puts of research notes and reports,

When I recall these, I feel so elated that small orientations in our early life do create unspoken desire for the future.

GREETINGS DUE TO MELANISTIC TIGER (1993-94) FROM MR. BIMAL BHANJDEO, BARIPADA

While sorting a pile of papers this morning (22 August 2023), two envelopes each with a greeting card from 1993-94 slipped out like a God's gift for me. For many months I was searching for this card and Mr. Bimal Chandra Bhanjdeo for obvious reasons. They have sentimental attachment to the subject and Similipal. With and without help of molecular studies, science has revealed many truths in the past 30 years about colour types in tiger. I fondly continue to remember Mr. Bimal ji and people of Mayurbhanj. In the photo above, Bimal is stooping down to see the method of tracing a tiger pugmark. He participated in tiger census operation in Similipal sometime around 1995 as an unofficial member. 

At that time there was an instruction from Director, Project Tiger, Government of India, to involve non-official members in tiger tracking census. When we circulated the news, there were many many letters and applicants, including people from neighbouring states (Bihar/Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh) and even from outside India. An elderly lady from Africa had joined in one year, and had gone happy with the experience the technique gave her.  

MULLER AN INSPIRATION FOR A COMPILATION

I purchased the (1962) genetics book on works of H.J. Muller on 26 Jan 1972 from a book exhibition. Then I was a student of BSc Honours. It impressed me that Muller's students had arranged the contents for publication in 1962. Between 1911 and 1961, in 50 years, Muller had produced a huge list of 336 pathbreaking titles either read or published. Again, sometime in 1990s, I had an occasion to look at Muller’s book. I got inspired and wished, to bring out a compilation of all my work. Between 1974 and then, I had completed spells of work across Mahanadi, Chambal and Similipal, and with species from aphid insects to crocodilians, large wetland fauna, the tiger and its associates, the elephant, etc. Now, as I prepare archiving my work and collections, I hope that a day will come in some shape when my wish will be fulfilled,