In another major setback for the wildlife conservation, third cub of a tigress was found dead in the Sarhi zone of Kanha Tiger Reserve on April 26, marking three fatalities from the same mother within five days. Officials said the deaths are suspected to be due to starvation or the mother’s inability to hunt, ruling out infanticide at this stage. Condition of the tigress along with its fourth cub is reported to be critical. The tigress and its cub are kept in enclosure under the supervision of team of veterinarians at the reserve. It may be noted that the two male cubs found dead earlier on April 21 and 23 and a female carcass discovered later, were located in the Amahi nullah area under the Sarhi range. Forest authorities pointed out that the tigress may have struggled to provide sufficient food, leading to the consecutive deaths.

 

The incidents have raised fresh concerns about prey availability and survival challenges faced by young cubs in the wild. The latest case came to light in Compartment No. W-669(68), Umarpani area, under Sarhi Circle. Acting promptly, officials secured the site on April 25 in accordance with guidelines issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the state’s Chief Wildlife Warden. A detailed search operation was conducted with the help of elephants to scan the surrounding forest.

 

The carcass was later sent to Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, specifically its School of Wildlife Forensic and Health, for post-mortem and forensic examination. The autopsy was carried out on April 26 in the presence of wildlife experts, including Dr Somesh Mishra and Dr Nidhi Rajput, along with NTCA representative Sandeep Chouksey and forest officials. Samples have been collected for detailed analysis to ascertain the exact cause of death. Meanwhile, the tigress and any surviving cubs are under close monitoring by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department. With these incidents, the State’s tiger death toll has risen to 24 since January 2026, highlighting ongoing conservation challenges. 

 

 

A sub-adult tiger was found electrocuted, and its carcass dumped into a farm well in Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh, taking the number of big cat deaths in the state to 25 since January, forest officials said on Monday. The farmer, who owns the well, has been arrested, a day after the carcass was recovered. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) L Krishnamoorthy told PTI that the tiger, aged around one-and-a-half to two years, was electrocuted in a revenue area under the South Seoni forest division. Post-mortem of the carcass was conducted as per National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines. Officials said field-level inquiry found evidence of electrocution, with burnt wires, pegs, and other electrical material recovered from a spot about 50 metres from the well. Sub-Divisional Forest Officer Yogesh Kumar Patel said that the carcass was dumped into the well after electrocution by unidentified persons. The carcass was spotted on April 26 by labourers working in a farmer’s field, who alerted authorities. Patel said that the Forest Department has announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for information leading to the arrest of those involved. The farmer and other suspects are being questioned. The first tiger death this year was reported on January 7 in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, and since then, 24 more big cats, including cubs, have died, officials have said. Overall, Madhya Pradesh, which had 785 tigers as per a 2022 Census and the highest in the country, has lost 25 big cats, including cubs, since January 7, when the first death was reported in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. Among the 25 fatalities, eleven tigers, including three cubs, have died since April 2, when a big cat was found dead in the forested area of Burhanpur, according to officials. The State is home to nine tiger reserves. Reacting to the electrocution of the tiger in Seoni, noted wildlife activist Ajay Dubey alleged poaching, terming the incident highly shocking and alarming. “Forest officials should have intensified patrolling in forests across the state after three cubs died in five days in the core area of the Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR) in Mandla. They seem least concerned about protecting wildlife,” he added. Three tiger cubs have died in the Sarhi zone of KTR in the past six days, officials had said.