26 tigers dead
in 6 weeks in India

India loses 26 tigers
in over a month

In what is appearing to be a worrying trend, 26 tigers died in India from January 1 to February 11.

The highest number of tiger deaths took place in Madhya Pradesh (9), followed by Maharashtra (7), Rajasthan (3), Karnataka (2), Uttarakhand (2), Assam (1), Kerala (1) and Bihar (1) as per National Tiger Conservation Authority data. 

Madhya Pradesh saw
highest tiger deaths

Majority of deaths usually occur due to natural causes like territorial fights and ageing, data by NTCA shows. However, poaching has not been ruled out until evidence suggests. 

Cause of tiger deaths
in India

As per the stringent conditions set by the NTCA, all tiger deaths are considered as ‘poaching’ in the beginning.
 

NTCA norms for
reviewing tiger mortality

Supplementary details like post mortem reports, forensic and lab reports and circumstantial evidences are gathered for closing a particular tiger death case as either natural, poaching or unnatural but not poaching.
 

NTCA norms for
reviewing tiger mortality

Tiger deaths worrying

The number of cat fatalities is higher than the fatalities in the same period for 2022 and 2021.  Last year, in the same period, 18 tigers had died, with 121 tiger deaths overall in the year. In 2021, 21 tigers had died in the same period, with overall deaths at 127.

Highest toll at
Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

As per NTCA, in the period of 2012-22, Bandhavgarh saw the highest number of deaths at 66, while Satkosia, Palamau, KMTR and Bor tiger reserves saw only one death each. 

January sees highest tiger death toll

The maximum number of tiger deaths took place in January in the past decade. Between 2012-22, 128 tigers died in January, followed by 123 in March and 113 in May, as per NTCA. 

According to NTCA, India’s tiger population was an estimated 1,411 in 2006. Following changes in tiger conservation policy, legislation, and management,  the overall tiger population in India was estimated at 2,967 during the 2018-19 assessment.

India’s tiger population

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