MP reported highest loss of the big cat at 42, followed by Maharashtra 26
Nagpur: With death of two tigresses in the past three days – one at Gorewada Rescue Centre and another at Pench Tiger Reserve – a total of 124 tiger deaths have been recorded until December 29 this year, the highest in a decade, according to data of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The NTCA data further revealed that 60 of the 124 big cats that died fell prey to poachers, accidents and man-animal conflict outside protected areas.
According to a 2018 census, India was home to 2,967 tigers. NTCA has maintained a file of tiger deaths publicly since 2012.
According to the NTCA, Madhya Pradesh, with 526 tigers, had the highest loss at 42, followed by Maharashtra, which has 312 tigers, at 26, and Karnataka, which hosts 524 tigers, at 15. Uttar Pradesh, home to roughly 173 tigers, recorded 9 deaths. The numbers could possibly be increased as NTCA uploads information after additional verification.
However, experts fear that the tiger toll could possibly increase as these are the number of deaths that are actually reported. Many tigers die of natural causes inside the forest area and their deaths go unreported. The total number of tigers that India lost in 2021 could be higher, say the experts.
However, an official of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve stated, the tiger population has increased considerably, which is why the toll, too, is likely to increase as death is a natural phenomenon. When the tiger inhabitants overspill, it’s unable to manoeuvre to a different habitat.
