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Environment Current Affairs September 2nd Week 2021
Category : Environment Current Affairs
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Black Tigers in Similipal Tiger Reserve:

Scientists have solved the mystery surrounding Odisha`s `Black Tigers` in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR)
 
Highlights:
♦ The STR is the world`s only tiger habitat with melanistic tigers, which have vast black stripes that run throughout their bodies and are thicker than those seen on regular tigers.
♦ Black tigers are a rare colour variation of the tiger and are no longer a fantastic species or geographical subspecies.
♦ The dark coat coloration and patterning that distinguishes wild cats is due to a single mutation in the Transmembrane Aminopeptidase Q (Taqpep) gene.
♦ The abnormally darkish or black coat of such tigers is referred to as pseudo melanistic or false coloured. If you take any tiger from Similipal, there is a nearly 60% chance that it carries the mutant gene.
♦ Factors Contributing to the Occurrence of Black Color: Due to Geographic Isolation, genetically related people in Similipal have been mating with each other for many generations, primarily due to inbreeding. It should be noted that this has important implications for tiger conservation because isolated and inbred populations are vulnerable to extinction over even short periods of time.