Madhya Pradesh—the tiger state of India—has reported the highest number of tiger deaths in the country again in 2019. Twenty-seven big cats reportedly died in the state forests and surroundings, according to the figures collated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
In 2018 too, MP had recorded 27 tiger deaths—the highest in country. A total of 81 tiger deaths have been reported in the country in 2019. This would mean that one-third of the deaths were reported from Madhya Pradesh.
In 2018, as many as 94 tiger mortalities had been reported in the country. The number of deaths has seen a decline this year.
Madhya Pradesh regained the status of ‘tiger state’ when the tiger census 2018 was released earlier this year. According to the census, the state had 526 striped big cats, two more than Karnataka (524).
With Karnataka reporting just 12 deaths in 2019 according to NTCA figures, the tiger state tag for MP seems to be under threat.
Of the 27 deaths reported in 2019, four have been attributed to poaching, compared to one in the year 2018. Among the tiger reserves/national parks, Kanha reported the highest (seven) deaths followed by Bandhavgarh (six), the NTCA figures show.
The forest department has attributed the high figures to strict monitoring and transparent and fair reporting of tiger deaths. “The number of tigers is increasing in the state and there are a large number outside the protected areas too. Most of the tiger deaths in the state are attributable to territorial fights,” U. Prakasham, chief wildlife warden (CWLW) of Madhya Pradesh, said while talking to THE WEEK.
The official added that the figures are high for the state as there is strict monitoring, and each death is reported at all levels and shared with the media too. “Yet, we are very serious about poaching activities and all the culprits involved in poaching during past year were apprehended,” the CWLW said.
He also said protection staff can never be considered adequate in a state with the highest forest cover (over 77 lakh sqkm), which showed slight increase during the past year.
169 deaths in eight years
From 2012 to 2018, Madhya Pradesh reported 142 tiger deaths, out of the 655 reported across the country. With 27 more deaths this year, the tally has gone up to 169. With four poaching incidents reported during the year (2019), the total poaching deaths have gone up to 38 in Madhya Pradesh.