In a concerning incident highlighting wildlife survival challenges, two tiger cubs from the same litter died within a span of three days in Kanha Tiger Reserve. Preliminary investigations indicate starvation as the likely cause of death. On April 21, a tiger cub had been found dead in the Sarhi forest range and another tiger cub was found in the same area near Intawara Nullah in Kanha Tiger Reserve, on April 23. According to forest officials, the cubs aged around one-and-a-half years old were part of a litter of four residing in the core area of the reserve. The first cub was dead around April 21 while the second was discovered three days later in Sarhi region.

 

Post-mortem reports revealed that both cubs had empty stomachs, with no signs of poaching, poisoning or external injuries. Officials suspect that the tigress may not have been feeding the cubs, leading to their starvation. Authorities have intensified surveillance on the tigress and the two surviving cubs to ensure their safety and monitor their feeding patterns. Camera traps and field staff are being deployed for closely tracking their movement. The incident has raised fresh concerns among wildlife activists, especially amid reports of rising tiger deaths in MP this year. Over 20 tiger fatalities have reportedly been recorded in the state since January 2026, prompting calls for improved patrolling, habitat monitoring, and timely intervention in cases of abandoned or vulnerable cubs. Forest officials have assured that necessary steps are being taken to prevent further loss and to strengthen conservation efforts in the reserve.