Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has expressed his delight over the cover photo of National Geographic magazine featuring Similipal’s black tiger. The photograph, captured by Indian photographer Prasenjeet Yadav, showcases one of the world’s rarest big cats and has been featured on the cover of the magazine’s upcoming October 2025 edition.
Majhi congratulated Yadav for being the first Indian to be featured as both the storyteller and photographer of a National Geographic story focused on India. “Similipal, the heart of Odisha, is blessed with unique flora and fauna that have always made the biosphere an apple of the eye for photographers, nature lovers, and wildlife enthusiasts alike,” Majhi stated.
The black tiger, known as pseudo-melanistic tiger, is found only in Similipal, where almost half of the reserve’s 30 tigers possess a rare genetic mutation. Yadav’s photograph was taken after months of patient tracking in the dense forests of Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district.
Yadav expressed his gratitude for being given the opportunity to document the story of the melanistic tiger and highlighted the commitment of the Odisha Forest Department in safeguarding the future of these majestic animals.
National Geographic editor-in-chief Nathan Lump noted that the story illustrated the complex realities of conservation, highlighting the challenges that arise when an animal population rebounds but remains isolated without access to a diverse gene pool.
