E-Paper
International Tiger Day: Maha records 134 tiger deaths since 2017
One-hundred-and-thirty-four (134) tigers have died in Maharashtra since 2017, as per data shared by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
One-hundred-and-thirty-four (134) tigers have died in Maharashtra since 2017, as per data shared by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Out of the 134 tiger deaths since 2017, 17 have been in 2022 alone, while 40 have been in 2021, which is the highest in the last decade, according to the NTCA. Maharashtra – which has six tiger reserves – has recorded 21 tiger deaths in 2017, 22 deaths in 2018, 18 deaths in 2019, 16 deaths in 2020, 40 deaths in 2021, and 17 deaths till July this year.
However, additional inspector-general, NTCA, Hemant Kamdi said that they are leaving no stone unturned towards the conservation of tigers. “Maharashtra is the only state in the country where we have four special tiger protection forces. There are a total eight such forces in the country out of which four are in Maharashtra alone. Additionally, we are taking extra efforts to protect tigers inside and outside of these reserves,” said Kamdi.
Kamdi said that a majority of tiger deaths have been reported in areas where there is a high density of tigers both inside and outside the tiger reserves. He said that the ‘density-related factor’ plays a major role in these tiger deaths and hence, they have increased ‘smart patrolling’ of such areas. A majority of these tiger deaths have been in the Vidarbha region of the state, which is also where five out of the state’s six tiger reserves are located, namely Melghat (Amravati), Tadoba (Chandrapur), Pench (Nagpur), Bor (Wardha) and Navegaon-Nagzira (Bhandara). Sahyadri is the state’s only tiger project located outside of Vidarbha and is spread over the Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Ratnagiri districts.
NTCA officials further said that many tigers die of natural causes or due to territorial fights. A few deaths are also reported due to electrocution. Forensic officials are conducting a detailed investigation into the reason behind the tiger deaths and if it is proven that tigers died due to poaching, stringent action will be taken against those responsible. NTCA is a statutory body under the ministry of environment, forests and climate change constituted to strengthen tiger conservation, as per the powers and functions assigned to it under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Maharashtra has the fifth largest tiger population in the country. In the tiger census conducted in 2018, as many as 312 tigers were spotted in the state.
